Two alleged forest robbers were killed in a gunfight between their cohorts and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members in Pashur Channel area in the Sundarbans under Mongla upazila on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Dhalu, 28, chief of notorious ‘Dhalu bahini’ and his second-in-command Bacchu, 32. Rab-8 commander Lt Col Faridul Alam said acting on secret information that a gang of forest robbers were collecting toll from the fishermen, a team of Rab launched a drive in the area at about 3:30 pm. Sensing the presence of the law enforces, the robbers opened fire on them prompting the Rab men to fire back that triggered a gunfight. Dhalu and Bacchu were caught in the line of fire during the gunfight and died on the spot. Later Rab members arrested six robbers while the other gang members managed to flee. The arrestees were identified as Raju Shikdar, Abu Taleb Khan, Ibrahim Hawladar, Kamal Sheikh, Jahangir Mallik and Nur Mollah Sheikh. Nine firearms, 577 rounds of bullets and a boat used for robbery were also recovered from the spot. – UNB
