'Gunfights' again; two more killed

Two alleged drug peddlers were killed in separate “gunfights” with Rab in Natore and Rajshahi on Tuesday.

With them, at least 207 suspected drug peddlers have been killed since the nationwide anti-narcotics drive began on May 4. Most of the incidents involved police and Rab.

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Kabil Sheikh, 45, was killed in a so-called shootout with Rapid Action Battalion in Baraigram upazila of Natore, reports our correspondent in the district.

According to Maj Shibli Mostafa of Rab-5, one of their teams noticed “suspicious activities” of a group of people while patrolling Mohishbhanga village around 1:00am. As the law enforcers challenged them, Kabil and his cohorts opened fire. In retaliation, the Rab team fired back, triggering a “gunfight”.

Afterwards, the Rab men found the bullet-riddled body of Kabil at the scene. The other criminals managed to flee, the official claimed, adding that the body was sent to a local health complex for autopsy.

The law enforcers also claimed to have recovered a foreign pistol, bullets and yaba tablets from the spot.

Kabil, of the upazila's Zonail village, was an accused in a dozen of cases, Maj Shibli said, adding that the “gunfight also left two Rab members injured”.

The man killed in a “shootout” with Rab in Belpukur of Rajshahi was identified as Abdur Rashid, 48. He was accused in at least 17 cases related to drugs peddling, according to a Rab press release.

The “shootout” took place around 10:00pm when a group of suspected drug peddlers opened fire at a Rab patrol team inside a mango orchard of Taras Uttarpara, reports our Rajshahi correspondent, quoting the release.

The Rab officials fired back, leading to a “gunfight” which continued for around five minutes.

At one point, the criminals fled. However, the law enforcers found a wounded man there. He was declared dead after he was taken to Rajshahi Medical College hospital, the Rab claimed in the press release.  Later, locals identified him as Abdur Rashid.

The Rab team seized a foreign pistol, two bullets, a magazine, and 58 bottles of phensidyl from the scene. Two Rab men also received minor injuries during the “shootout”, Rab claimed.