Two suspects in SP wife’s murder killed in police ‘shootout’

Two suspects in the murder of a decorated policeman’s wife have been killed in a so-called shootout with police in Chittagong's Rangunia Upazila.

Rangunia police OC Humayun Kabir told bdnews24.com the 'gunfight' with Detective Branch (DB) officials took place on Tuesday morning in the Upazila's Thandachharhi area.

He identified the deceased as Nurul Islam aka Rashed, 27, and Nurunnabi alias Nabi, 28, - two of the five persons on whom police had recently asked not to leave Bangladesh.

The investigation officer, CMP DB's Assistant Commissioner Md Kamruzzaman, said a team of detectives with Rangnia police officials had gone to Thandachharhi to conduct a raid to nab the two in the early hours.

"Rashed, Nabi and their accomplices had started firing at police, forcing police officials to retaliate. Later, Rashed and Nabi were found left at the scene with bullet wounds."

He said doctors of a local hospital had declared the two dead brought dead.

Kamruzzaman said three members of the DB team - SI Md Sikandar, ASIs Md Azhar and Imam Hossain - were also injured during the exchange of fire.

After receiving treatment at a local hospital, the three officers were moved to Damparha Police Lines Hospital in Chittagong, he said.

The DB official added that suspect Rashed had been accused in five cases including one on murder charges.
 
SP Babul Aktar's wife Mahmuda Aktar Mitu was murdered on Jun 5 morning near GEC Intersection in the port city.
 
Amidst rumour of eight arrests, police on Jun 26 said that they nabbed two men - Motaleb Mia Wasim and Anwar Hossain - over the killing.
 
Two days later, two more named Ehteshamul Haque Bhola and Monir Hossain were arrested with two firearms and bullets in the city's Rajakhali.
 
According to police, Wasim and Anwar, in their confessional statements in court, had said that the murder was carried out following Kamrul Islam Shikdar alias Musa's plan.
 
They also reportedly said that Rashed, Nabi, 'Kalu' and 'Shahjahan' were involved in the killing.
 
Police then put a ban on them on leaving the country.
 
On Jul 1, the law enforcers said they had arrested Shahjahan and Musa's younger brother ‘Saidul’ alias Saku Shikdar.
 
Rashed's father Ahmed Hossain on Saturday at a press briefing claimed that his son was arrested on Jun 23 at the house of one 'Ilias' at Boakhali.
 
Saying Rashed was not involved in Mahmuda's murder, Hossain had said, "My son is innocent. If he's guilty, take him to court. If not, return my son back to me."

Musa's wife had recently claimed that police picked him up on Jun 22 from a house in area under Bandar Police Station.

But the law enforcers denied having detained or arrested Musa, one of the prime suspects in the case.

Police said Wasim and Anwar had confessed to drawing up the plans several days before Mahmuda's murder.

According to the duo's confessional statements, on the morning of Jun 5, Musa, Kalu and Rashed were waiting in front of a fruit store near GEC Intersection, Nabi was near the road leading to Mahmuda's home and Wasim was on the opposite side, at the mouth of the street beside Premier University.

The two claimed they did not know SP Babul Aktar's wife before killing her, police said.

They said Nabi followed her from behind and was the first to stab her, then Kalu hacked her after pulling her down when she tried to run with her 6-year-old son, who witnessed the gruesome murder.

Then Mahmuda was shot in the head, according to confessions of Wasim and Anwar.