Suspected pirate leader killed in RAB \\\'gunfight\\\'

A suspected pirate was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Dorjarkhal area of Swarankhola upazila of Bagerhat district on Monday morning. The deceased was identified as Khalilur Rahman, 32, hailing from Pathorghata upazila of Barguna district and second-in-command of pirate gang ‘Monir Bahini’. Col Faridul Alam, commanding officer of Barishal RAB-8 said, on secret information that a gang of pirates was taking preparation for committing robbery in the Sundarbans, a team of the elite forces conducted a drive in the Swarankhola range of the forest from Sunday night. The team reached Dorjarkhal area around 5:30am. Sensing the presence of the RAB members, the pirates opened fire at them prompting the elite force members to fire back, triggering a gunfight. After half an hour fight, the pirates fled the scene. Later, the RAB personnel recovered the body from the spot. Local fishermen identified the deceased as Khalil. The elite forces also recovered four foreign single-barrel guns, three ‘Kata rifles’, one air gun, three homemade pipe-guns,  six machetes and 100 rounds of bullets from the spot, according to a news agency.

-Shuvo-