Two killed in 'gunfight' with Rab

An alleged regional leader of an outlawed party and his aide were killed in a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari early yesterday.

The deceased are Rakibul Hasan Rocky alias Bappi, 35, regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party's (PBCP-ML) Lal Pataka faction, and his aide Lalon Mollah, 40.

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According to Rab, Rakibul and Lalon, residents of Paban Nagar of Pabna Sadar upazila and Gopalbari of Rajbari Sadar upazila, were involved in organising activities of the banned outfit in the area.

On information that Rakibul was holding a meeting with his cohorts at Rakhalgachi char, two Rab teams cordoned off the area around 3:30am and asked the outlaws to surrender using loudspeakers, claimed Roice Uddin, commander of Rab-8.

“But defying our call, the outlaws opened fire on us leaving one of the members of the elite force injured,” the Rab official said, adding, “Rab retaliated ensuing an hour-long gunfight with the outlaws.”

At one stage, the outlaws fled the scene. Rab found the bodies of Rakibul and Lalon on the spot, the Rab official added.

A foreign-made pistol, a 0.22 bore rifle, a locally made gun, a sword and 60 bullets were recovered from the spot.

Rakibul and his aide were accused in at least seven cases for crimes like murder, abduction and robbery, the Rab official said.