3 'criminals' killed in 'gunfight'

Three alleged criminals were killed in a "gunfight" with police in Gangni upazila of Meherpur early yesterday.

They are Tuhin Ali, 21, Tajmul Ali, 27, and Mohibul Islam, 24, of Bholadanga village in the upazila.

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The three were members of a criminal gang which commits robbery and extorts money from brick kiln owners in the area, said Anisur Rahman, superintendent of Meherpur police. 

According to the police official, a police team of Gangni Police Station raided a brick kiln owned by one Khabir Uddin in Mothmura village on information that some extortionists were going there to carry out vandalism around 3:30am.

Earlier, the gang demanded Tk 2 lakh as extortion money from the brick kiln owner. The gang threatened to kill Khabir and destroy his brick kiln as Khabir refused to give the money.

Police asked the criminals to surrender during the drive. Instead of doing so, the gang members opened fire. Police then returned fire, triggering a half an hour "gunfight", the SP said.

Law enforcers found the three bodies on the spot after the "gunfight". Other criminals fled the spot.

Police claimed to have recovered two firearms, two crude bombs and two sharp weapons from the spot.

Akram Hossain, officer-in-charge of Gangni Police Station, claimed that six policemen were injured in the incident. They took first aid at the local upazila health complex.

He said the trio stood accused in several robbery cases filed with the police station.