Two suspected drug dealers were killed in a reported gunfight with police in Teknaf upazila, Cox’s Bazar.
The gunfight took place near Jimangkhali embankment area in Teknaf’s Whykong union around 4am on Monday.
The deceased were identified as Mahmud Ullah, 26, and Mohammad Mizan, 24.
Police challenged Mahmud, a microbus driver, on Sunday morning around 9am on suspicion. “Upon finding 5000 pieces of the contraband drug yaba in Mahmud’s possession, we arrested him,” said Pradip Kumar Dash, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Model police station.
“While interrogating Mahmud we received further information from him that more yaba and arms had been stored in the area,” the OC added.
When police made a drive to the area, sensing their presence a group of drug dealers started firing at them to free the suspected drug dealer Mahmud. But when police retaliated and fired back, the drug dealers' gang left the place, police say.
“After the gunfight we found Mahmud and Mizan to be bullet shot and injured. When taken to the hospital, they were declared dead by the on-duty doctor,” said the OC.
“Police brought two youths with three bullet-shots each and they had already died before we could treat them,” said Dr Khan-e-Alam, emergency unit in-charge of Teknaf Upazila Health Complex.
Three of the policemen were also injured and released after getting primary treatment, added the doctor.
Police seized some local ammunition and a microbus along with the yaba. However, the vehicle caught on fire and was burned with the seized goods, and later fire service was called to control the situation, police say.
Separate cases have been filed to address the incidents, OC Pradip confirmed.