‘Robber’ killed in ‘gunfight’

A suspected highway robber was killed in a "gunight" with police beside Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Cumilla's Chandina upazila early yesterday. 

The deceased, Md Khokon, 45, was from Barguna's Fultola upazila, said Porimal Das, sub-inspector of detective branch (DB) of police in Cumilla. 

Khokon was accused of killing Khairul Alam Sadhon, a Jubo League leader from Cumilla's Muradnagar upazila who got killed on January 12, he said. 

Being tipped off that a gang was preparing for a robbery, two teams of police and DB raided the spot around 1:50am, the DB official said. 

Sensing police presence, the robbers opened fire on them, forcing them to fire back that triggered a "gunfight", he continued.   

Later, police rescued Khokon with a bullet injury and took him to Cumilla Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, SI Porimol said.

Police recovered a firearm, two bullets and several sharp weapons from the spot, he added.