The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

A suspected robber and an arms and drug peddler were killed in separate shootouts with RAB and police in Comilla and Jhenidah districts on Friday night and early Saturday.

In Comilla, Ali Ahmed, wanted in at least 20 cases, including robberies and killings, was killed in a shootout with Rapid Action Battalion members at Madhaiya in Chandina upazila early Saturday.

RAB and police sources said a team of RAB-11, acting on a tip-off, raided Madhaiya Primary School where Ali Ahmed and his accomplices were holding a clandestine meeting to commit a robbery in the area at about 3 am.

But sensing the presence of the elite force, the robbers opened fire on them forcing the law enforcers to fire back triggering a gun battle.

"Ali Ahmed was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot," said a RAB account of the incident.

RAB Havildar Wahid, constable Nayan and Sainik Mobarak were also injured in the encounter.

The elite force members recovered a revolver, two LGs, six rounds of bullet and cartridges from the scene.

UNB Jhenidah correspondent said drug and arms peddler Bidhan Chandra Pramanik of Purandapur village in Moheshpur upazila was killed in an encounter between his cohorts and police at the village Friday night.

Police said some of their informers, in guise of arms and drug buyers, built up an intimate relation with Bidhan and his accomplices. And as per their understanding, Bidhan and his cohorts went to the spot to sell 200 bottles of phensidyl syrup, two light guns and four bullets to the informers at about 8.45pm.

When they were selling drugs and arms to the informers, police cordoned off the spot. But sensing their presence, the gang started firing on them forcing the law enforcers to fire back.

"Bidhan was caught in the crossfire and died on the spot," said an eyewitness account of the incident.

However, law enforcers could not arrest the other cohorts of Bidhan as they managed to flee the scene.