A suspected drug trader has been killed in an alleged gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Khetlal upazila of Joypurhat.
The incident took place in Taushara area early Monday.
The deceased was identified as Tofajjal Hossain, hailing from Sarkarpara village of the same upazila.
However, his family members claimed that RAB men picked him up from a local market on Sunday evening.
Joypurhat RAB 5 Camp Commander Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Azmal Hossain said: “Acting on tip-off about a possible drug trade, a patrol team of ours conducted a drive in Taushara area around 1:45am.”
“Sensing our presence, drug peddlers opened fire on us. A shootout was instigated as RAB men fired back in self-defence. At one point, all drug peddlers fled the scene, leaving bullet-riddled Tofajjal behind. He died later at Khetlal Health Complex,” he said.
RAB also seized a foreign pistol with bullets and phensidyl bottles from the spot. A case is being filed regarding the matter, he said.
In addition, two members of RAB 5 have been injured in the gunfight. They were given primary treatment, the ASP added.
However, the deceased’s cousin Faruk Hossain claimed that RAB picked Tofajjal up from the local Battali market around 7pm Sunday.
“In the morning, we received information that Tofajjal had died and his body was being kept at Khetlal upazila health complex,” he said.
Ismail Hossain, a physician of Khetlal upazila health complex’s emergency department, said they received Tofajjal Hossain in dead condition around 2:55am. Several bullet injury marks were also seen in his body, he added.
To be noted that another suspected drug peddler, Sohel Rana, was killed in a so-called gunfight with RAB earlier on January 30 in Joypurhat.