Robber ringleader killed in ‘gunfight’ with cops

The ringleader of a forest robber gang was killed in a ‘gunfight’ between his cohorts and police in Karamjal tourist area of the Sundarbans in Dakope upazila on Friday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Siraj Shikdar, chief of the notorious forest robber gang ‘Siraj Shikdar Bahini’. Shikdar Akkas Ali, officer-in-charge of Dakope Police Station, said acting on secret information that a gang of robbers was gathering in the area, a joint team of Dakope and Paikgaccha police launched a drive in the Karamjal tourist area, two kilometers deep into the forest, at about 3:00pm. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the robbers opened fire on police prompting the law enforcers to retaliate, which triggered a gunfight. The robbers shot 50-60 rounds of bullet to police while police fired 26 rounds. After 30 minutes of the gunfight, the gang members fled the scene, according to UNB.