12 more killed, scores held in anti-drug crackdown

At least 12 more suspected drug peddlers were killed in reported gunfights in nine districts early Monday as law enforcement agencies continued anti-drug drives across the country.
The police and the Rapid Action Battalion arrested scores of suspected drug peddlers and abusers in raids in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
Of the 12 victims, two each were killed in Comilla and Pirojpur and one each in Dhaka, Natore, Pabna and Chandpur in ‘gunfights’ with law enforcers while two were killed in Satkhira and one each in Jhenidah and Munshiganj in ‘gunfights’ between two groups of drug peddlers, claimed the police.
Families of a Satkhira victim alleged that the victim was picked up four days ago by people who identified themselves as police.
The incidents took to 98 the number of people killed in the on-going anti-drug drives in the past 14 days. 
In Dhaka, suspected drug peddler Nazrul Islam alias Nazu Sardar, 42, of Rupnagar, also wanted in 22 cases, was killed in a reported gunfight with the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police at an under-construction building at a staff quarter of public works department at Rupnagar at about 2:30am, the metropolitan police said in a release.
Cops seized one pistol, two bullets and 5,000 Yaba tablets from the spot, it said.
New Age correspondent in Comilla reported that two suspected drug dealers – Enamul Haq Dolan, 35, of Bhinglabari Mirzanagar under Debidwar and Nuru, 55, of Kalikapur under sadar upazila – were killed in ‘gunfights’ with police at Debidwar and Sadar South upazilas respectively.
Enamul, wanted in 12 cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ during a special anti-drug drive at Debidwar and police recovered 10kg hemp and 100 Yaba pills from the spot, the police claimed.
Nuru, wanted in 11 cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ at Golia-Lakshmipur village at about 2:00am, said Comilla assistant superintendent of police Golam Ambia Mahmud.
In Pirojpur, suspected drug peddler Wahiduzzaman Ohid, 50, of Nesarabad upazila, named in eight drugs cases, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at village Kourikhara under sadar upazila at about 2:00am, said Pirojpur additional superintendent of police GM Abul Kalam Azad.
Cops seized a pipe gun, 175 Yaba tablets and 50 grams of hemp from the spot, he claimed.

Yaba tablets in plastic coating, detected by X-ray, have been recovered from stomachs of some people on Monday. — Ali Hossain Mintu

Suspected drug peddler Mizanur Rahman, 35, named in six cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with cops at village Gotichara under Mathbaria upazila at about 1:30am, Abul Kalam said.
He said that they seized 2kg hemp, 50 Yaba tablets and four sharp weapons from the spot.
In Natore, suspected drug peddler Khaleq Uddin was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with members of Rapid Action Battalion at Bagnagarkandi under Singra upazila at about 1:30am, said battalion legal and media wing officials.
New Age correspondent in Pabna, quoting the district superintendent of police Zahidul Kabir, reported that suspected drug peddler Ejjat Ali Pramanik, 28, of village Haturia under Bera upazila, wanted in 14 cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with cops at village Brishali of Bera municipal area at about 1.00am.
Cops seized a local shutter gun, four bullets, 600 grams of hemp, 60 Yaba tablets from the spot, the Zahidul claimed.
In Chandpur, suspected drug peddler Abu Sayeed Badsha alias Lal Badsha, 45, of village Purba Gobindopur under Faridganj upazila, wanted in 10 cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with cops at Boichatoli of the upazila at about 2:00am, United News of Bangladesh reported, quoting Faridganj police station officer-in-charge Shah Alam.
Shah Alam claimed that the cops seized 111 Yaba tablets, 1 pistol, 3 crude bombs and 4 bullets from the spot.
New Age correspondent in Satkhira, quoting Satkhira sadar police station sub-inspector Prabir Kumar Das, reported that two ‘drug peddlers’ – Emdadul Huq of Modhumollardangi of the district town and Khalilur Rahman alias Pute of Lakshmidari village under sadar upazila – were killed in a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of ‘drug peddlers’ at Bankal-Agunpur under sadar upazila.
Prabir said that they seized a firearm, one bullet and 105 bottles of Phenesedyl from the spot.
Emdadul’s elder brother Mafijul Islam Mafi alleged that his brother was killed four days after he was picked up from their house by people who identified themselves as cops.
‘There is no case, even a general diary against him with any police station,’ Mafijul claimed.
In Jhenaidah, suspected drug peddler Farid Hossain, 30, of Paglakanai village under sadar upazila, wanted in eight cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of drug peddlers at Jhargram village under sadar upazila at about 2:00am, claimed Jhenaidah sadar police station officers-in-charge Emdadul Haque Sheikh .
Cops seized one pistol, two bullets, one kilograms of hemp and 20 bottles of Phenesedyl, he claimed.
New Age correspondent in Munshiganj, quoting sadar police station officer-in-charge Gazi Salauddin, reported that suspected drug peddler Sumon Biswas, 36, of Water Tank area of Mirkadim municipality under sadar upazila, wanted in 25 cases, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between two groups of suspected drug peddlers at Murma Katlapara of the municipality.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police in raids at Dhalpur of Jatrabari and at Mirpur arrested 75 suspected drug peddlers and abusers and seized drugs on Monday, officials said. 
Besides, the battalion arrested 94 suspected drug peddlers and abusers in raids across the country, a battalion release said.
It said that 90 of them were jaild for varying terms ranging between seven days and six months by mobile courts.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net