The head of the northern armed wing of the Mog Liberation Party, Kongchainyo Marma, 31, was killed during an army operation in Shantinagar, Khagrachari Sadar, on Friday morning.
The incident occurred at around 9:15am amid an exchange of gunfire and a chase-and-counter-chase.
According to local sources, gunshots were heard when the army conducted a raid on a rented house in Shantinagar.
At one stage, Kongchainyo Marma attempted to flee by jumping from the roof of a two-storey building. He was rescued in an injured state by soldiers and taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Dr Dipa Tripura of Khagrachari Modern District Sadar Hospital’s emergency department said: “The army brought an injured man to the hospital shortly after 10am. He had died before arrival.”
“There were marks on his body consistent with falling from a height. The exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem examination,” she added.
The deceased was the son of Angsajai Marma from Mohalchari Upazila. He had been living in the Shantinagar house with his wife and child for around a year and a half.
House owner Sujit Dey said: “At the time of renting, he had introduced himself as an employee of BSRM Company.”
Khagrachari Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Baten Mridha said the police were preparing an inquest report after receiving news of the death from the hospital. The army has yet to make an official statement. The operation is ongoing.
Another source said that earlier in the morning, soldiers detained a youth from the Garitana area in Manikchari, recovering two locally made LG guns, five rounds of ammunition, a walkie-talkie and other equipment.
Based on his information, the raid in Shantinagar was carried out, during which a foreign-made pistol and five rounds of bullets were seized.
Kongchainyo Marma had long been operating in the Manikchari–Guimara area, reportedly engaging in extortion and other criminal activities.
Intelligence sources recently learned that several members of the Mog Liberation Party had taken up positions in Khagrachari town.
