[Bangla Daily Star] Three criminals were killed in separate incidents of 'shootouts' between their cohorts and law enforcers in the capital, Kushtia and Pabna yesterday.The deceased were identified as Hedayet Ullah alias Julhas, 30, a listed criminal of Hazaribagh, Sunnot Ali, 36, a top cadre of outlawed Gono Bahini and Moktar Hossain, 30, a regional commander of Sarbahara Party.
Julhas was killed in a 'gunfight' between his associates and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)-2 in Kalunagar Dam area at Hazaribagh around 1:30am, Abdur Razzak, officer-in-charge of Hazaribagh police station, said.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Talebur Rahman of Rab-2 told The Daily Star, acting on a tip-off, a Rab team raided an under-construction CNG refuelling station in the area where a gang had gathered.
Sensing the presence of Rab, the miscreants opened fire prompting them to retaliate. Twenty-two shots were fired.
Rab team found the bullet-hit body of Julhas left lying on the spot and also recovered a pistol and two bullets from there while his accomplices managed to escape.
As Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) doctors declared him dead after Hazaribagh police took him there, the body of Julhas was sent to DMCH morgue for autopsy.
Julhas was accused in eight cases including two for murder with Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur and Hazaribagh police stations, police said.
In Kushtia, Sunnot Ali, son of late Dabir Uddin of Nolkhola under Sadar upazila, was killed in an 'encounter' between his cohorts and police at Uzangram village in the upazila, reports our Kushtia correspondent.
Sunnot, accused in six cases, including four for murder, was a close companion of Obaidul alias Lal Bhai, a military commander of Gono Bahini, source said.
According to police, a team of Islamic University Police Station raided Uzangram where some Gono Bahini cadres were holding a meeting under a bridge around 3:30am.
Sensing presence of the police, the outlaws opened fire prompting them to retaliate that triggered a gunfight.
At one stage, the outlaws fled the scene leaving Sunnot's body lying on the ground.
Police recovered one LG gun and five bullets from there.
On information, a team of Rab-12 conducted a drive at Kachipara in Pabna Sadar upazila where a gang of Sarbahara cadres was holding a meeting, reports our Pabna correspondent.
As soon as the Rab members reached there, the outlaws opened fire forcing them to fire back.
Moktar, son of Moslem Pramanik of Dighi Goailbari under Sadar upazila, died on the spot but his accomplices fled the scene.
Rab members recovered one LG and three bullets from there.
Moktar was accused in a number of cases, including three murders, Rab sources said.