Gunfights kill 9 more drug suspects, raising toll to 68

Gunfights kill 9 more drug suspects, raising toll to 68

Dhaka, May 25 (Just News): In continued drives against suspected drug dealers across the country, nine more people were killed on Thursday and Friday.

According to official version, the suspected drug peddlers were engaged in gunfights with members of the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and eventually shot dead.

The latest incidents took place in Dhaka city, Myemensingh, Cumilla, Sherpur, Jhenidah, Gaibandha Satkhira and Netrakona districts as the government continued ‘anti-narcotics crackdown’.

So far, a total of 68 people were killed in ‘gunfights’ during the drive since 12 May, according to UNB.

However, authenticity of none of these incidents could be verified independently.

Of the latest cases, two were killed in Netrakona and one each was killed in Dhaka, Cumilla, Sherpur, Jhenidah, Gaibandha and Mymensingh districts.

UNB reports: In the capital, Quamrul, listed by law enforcers as drug peddler, was killed in a so-called gunfight between his cohorts and members of Rab-2 in Tejgaon industrial area of the capital early Friday.

Sources at the RAB headquarter said Quamrul was wanted in a number of cases. The elite force also recovered a number of firearms, bullets and Yaba pills from the spot after the gunfight.

In Mymensingh, Rajon Mia, 30, a suspected drug trader and son of Harunur Rashid of Purohitpara area in the city, was killed in ‘gunfight’ with the DB police at Purohitpara in the city around 2:30am, said Ashiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mymensingh DB police.

Rajon was wanted in five cases, said the OC. The police said they recovered 420 pieces of Yaba and a shell of bullets from the spot.

In Netrakona, two suspected drug peddlers were killed in a purported gunfight with police at Monang in Sadar upazila early Friday. The identities of the deceased could not be known yet.

The police said they recovered 750 grams of heroin, 3500 pieces of Yaba pills and two pipe guns from the spot.

In Sherpur, a ‘gunfight’ with police left Azad, 28, an alleged drug peddler and son of Mantaj Ali of Marakandi Khashpara of Sadar upazila, dead at Satpakia in Sadar upazila early in the morning.

Aminul Islam, additional superintendent of Sherpur police, said the gunfight took place in the area around 2:30am when a team of police conducted an anti-narcotics drive in the area based on secret information.

Azad was wanted in 21 cases, including that of robbery and drugs.

Kulu’s family members, who gathered at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Friday morning, claimed that the police picked up Kalu from his house on Thursday and killed in the so-called gunfight.

In Cumilla, Kamal, a suspected drug trader and son of Hiron Mia of Rajmangalpur village in Adarsha Sadar upazila, was killed in a reported gunbattle with the police at Mahishmara in Burichang upazila early Friday, said Manoj Kumar Dey, officer-in-charge of Burichang police station.

The police also arrested two of his associates - Hanif and Elias-and recovered one LG gun and 50 kgs of hemp from the spot. Kamal was wanted in 12 cases filed under the Narcotics Control Act, said OC.

In Gaibandha, Jewel, a suspected drug peddler wanted in dozens of cases related to drugs, was killed in a purported gun battle with police at Balashighat in Phulchhari upazila early in the morning, said Khan Mohammad Shahrier, officer-in-charge of sadar police Station.

In Satkhira, Yunus Ali Salal, 45, a suspected drug peddler and son of Abdullah Dalal of Dakkhin Bhadiali village , was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of drug peddlers at Ramkrishnapur in Kalaroaupazila early Friday, said Biplab Kumar Nath, officer-in-charge of Kalaroa police station.

Police also recovered one shutter gun, two bullets and 70 bottles of phensidyl from the spot.

In Jhenidah, Shamim Sardar, 45, a listed drug pusher was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between his cohorts and police at Arpara in Kaliganj upazila on Thursday night, said Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj police station.

The police said they recovered one pistol, two bullets and several pieces of Yaba pills from the scene.

He was wanted in nine cases, the OC added.