Drug dealer, rape accused killed in ‘gunfights’

Two alleged criminals -- a drug peddler and a rape accused -- were killed in separate incidents of what law enforcers claimed to be gunfights at Dhaka and Mymensingh early today.

In Dhaka, alleged drug dealer Anwar Hosen, 28, was killed during a “gunfight” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Shahidnagar area of Uttarkhan, said Md Kamruzzaman, assistant director (AD) of Rab-1.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

A team of Rab-1 raided the area around 2:00am based on a tip off. Sensing presence of law enforcers, the gang of “drug dealers” fired at them, prompting the Rab officials to retaliate, triggering the “gunfight”.

At one point, the gang members seized firing and backed off leaving the bullet-hit body of Anwar behind. He was declared dead around 4:00am after being rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), he said.

A constable was also injured during the incident. Rab recovered 3,000 pieces of yaba and a firearm from the spot.

There are at least 17 drug related cases filed against the deceased with different police stations, the Rab officer said.

In Mymensingh, Saiful Islam alias Saiful Dakat, 40, son of late Javed Ali of Koyadi area in Bhaluka upazila was killed in a “gunfight” with police around 1:15am.

Saiful is one of the two accused in a case filed with Bhaluka Police Station for the rape of an eighth grader, reports our local correspondent.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a hideout of Saiful and his cohorts in Hatiber area. Criminals shot fires at the police sensing their presence, triggering a “gunfight”, said Muhammand Mainuddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhaluka Police Station.

When Saiful’s gang left the place, police found bullet-hit Saiful on the spot. They rushed him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital(MMCH) where doctors declared him dead around 3:00am, the OC added.

Four policemen were also injured during the incident, he claimed.