‘Rohingya robber’ killed in gunfight in Cox’s Bazar

A Rohingya man, identified as a robber by law enforcers, has been killed in a "gunfight" with police near Shalbagan Rohingya Camp in Hnila union under Teknaf upazila last night.

The deceased -- Md Sharif, 28, son of Md Salam -- was an active member of top-notch robber group Zakir, reports our correspondent quoting Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station.

On secret information, a team of police conducted a drive at a hill, situated in the middle of Block D-3 and Block D-4 of Shalbagan Rohingya camp to arrest the robbers of Zakir Group around 9:30pm.

Sensing the presence of police, robbers opened fire at the police personnel, forcing them to shoot back in self-defence, triggering the gunfight, the OC claimed.

After the gunfight, police found a bullet hit body lying on the ground while other members of the group managed to flee the scene, the OC said.

They rushed the injured to a local health complex and the alleged robber was later shifted to Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila Hospital, where duty-doctors declared him dead, the OC added.

He claimed two policemen -- ASI Aziz and Amir Hossain -- were injured in the gunfight and are undergoing treatment at Teknaf Upazila Health Complex.

Two local firearms and seven rounds of bullets were recovered from the spot, he added.

The body was sent to morgue for autopsy while two cases are under process with Teknaf Police Station in this connection, said the OC.