Drug peddler injured in 'gunfight' with cops

A drug peddler sustained bullet-injuries in a 'gunfight' between police and his cohorts at Fichhkar in Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat district early yesterday.

Injured Aynal Hossain Rana, 28, son of Kashem Ali of Mahajan Colony in the upazila, is an accused in four cases filed with Panchbibi Police Station, said Ashraful Islam, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Being tipped off that a gang led by Rana was passing the area, carrying contraband drugs in a three-wheeler, police raided the area around 1:00am, the OC said.

Sensing the presence of the police team, Rana and his men swooped on them with sharp weapons, leaving two policemen--ASI Ratan and Constable Almas--injured.

In self defence, police fired several gunshots that left Rana injured while his other cohorts managed to flee.

Police later detained Rana and took him to Panchbibi Upazila Health Complex. He was later referred to Bogra Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital yesterday.

Police also seized some sharp weapons, Phensidyl and the three-wheeler from the spot, the OC added.

Away in Jessore, Detective Branch (DB) of Police arrested four drug peddlers along with 500 Yaba tablets from Jamrultola area of the district town on Wednesday, reports our Benapole correspondent.

The arrestees are Abdul Gafur, 28, and Fardin Jony, 25, of Jamrultola village, Farid Hossain Labu, 30, of Jail Road area, and Romana Cynthia, 35, a former bank official and a resident of Old Kasba area of the town.

Sub-Inspector Abul Khair Molla of DB police said the detectives, acting on a tip-off, raided the area and arrested Gafur along with 100 Yaba tablets around 8:30pm and Farid and Jony around 11:00pm.

In another drive, detectives raided Old Kasba area and detained Cynthia and seized 400 Yaba tablets from her possession the same night, the SI added.