Six men, described as tiger poachers, were killed in a gunfight with police at Mandarbaria canal in the Sundarbans yesterday.
Ansar Sana, 55, Siddiq Sana, 45, Bappi Hossain, 20, Rafiqul Islam, 38, Majid Gazi, 35, and Mamun Gazi, 25, were from Dakshin Bedkashi area of Koyra. Five policemen were also shot.
Police recovered tiger fur, five firearms, seven rounds and eight bullet shells from the scene.
Locals in Dakshin Bedkashi said police detained seven persons early yesterday and seized fur of three tigers from their possession.
Md Habibur Rahman, superintendent of police in Khulna, said the gunfight took place when police launched an operation in the Sundarbans and nearby areas to capture bandits and tiger poachers. “The six poachers died on the scene.”
OC of the district Detective Branch of police TM Roknuzzaman said seven people, who were detained with tiger fur from Gazi Bari area of Charamukha village, described themselves as members of Ilias-Jahangir Bahini, a group of local bandits.
“The detainees said there is an arsenal in the deep forest and police took them along to the operation. Their associates fired at police after the latter reached Madarbaria canal and police also fired back, triggering the gunfight,” he said.
Harendranath Sarker, OC at Koyra police station, said the gun battle lasted for nearly an hour.
“The detainees escaped police guard during the shootout and were later found dead,” he added.
