Siblings killed in Cox’s Bazar ‘gunfight’

Two brothers -- alleged yaba traders -- were killed during what authorities claim to be a gunfight with police in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar earlier today.

The deceased have been identified as sons of Hakim Ali of Chandanaish upazila -- Faruk Hosen (37), and Ajidul Huq (26), reports our Cox's Bazar correspondent quoting Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station.

Based on a tip-off that a yaba consignment from Myanmar was going to arrive, police conducted a raid at Nazirpara Chakbazar area in the upazila around 2am, said the OC.

After "sensing police presence", the drug traders allegedly opened fire, targeting law enforcers and forcing them to retaliate in the ensuing gunfight, OC Pradip added.

At one point, the drug traders back-tracked. Police rescued the two brothers who had sustained bullet injuries and rushed them to Teknaf Health Complex where doctors declared them dead, the law enforcer claimed.

Police also recovered 20,000 pieces of yaba tablets, two locally-made firearms and 11 rounds of bullets. Three cases have been filed with in this regard.

The bodies were kept at Cox's Bazar Medical College for autopsy.