Accused in 30 cases killed in Patuakhali ‘gunfight’

Patuakhali Correspondent: A suspected leader of an inter-district robber gang was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with police at Ballavpur in Sadar upazila early Saturday.

The deceased identified as Chand Mia Hawlader, 42, hailing from Amtoli upazila of Barguna district. He was wanted in 30 different cases including of six murders and convicted in a robbery case filed with Barguna Police Station.

Tipped off that Chand Mia along with his associates gathered in the area to commit robbery, a team of police conducted a drive in the area in the dead of night, said Muhammad Moinul Hasan, superintendent of police in Patuakhali.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the robbers opened fire on police, forcing them to retaliate in self-defence that triggered a gunfight.

At one stage, Chand Mia was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot.

One pipe gun and some shells of bullets were recovered from the spot.

risingbd/Patuakhali/Aug 10, 2019/Bilas Das/AI