NEWS DESK: Two members of United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), a regional political party in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT), were killed and an army soldier was wounded in an alleged gun battle at Rouf Tila in Burighat union under Naniachar upazila of the district on Tuesday’s night.

The dead were identified as Ashapurno Chakma alias Rocket,28, son of Mono Ranjan Chakma of village Ajhachhari,35 in Naniachar upazila and Sombhu Chakma son of Susen Moni Chakma of village Dhameichhara in Bandukbhanga union under Rangamati sadar upazila.

Md. Sahabuddin, a sepoy of 20 infantry brigade, was also wounded in the firefight. He was instantly taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) by a helicopter for treatment. He was hit by a bullet in his left of the chest. Now he is out of danger, said sources.

Quoting locals, Naniachar police said the gun battle took place when an army team went to the Rouf Tila to round up the UPDF men after receiving secret information about their presence there. The UPDF men allegedly opened fire at army personnel after sensing their presence which triggered a firefight, killing the due on the spot and wounding the army soldier.

Security members retrieved an Ak 22 sub-machine gun (SMG) from the scene.

Officer in-charge (OC) of Naniachar police station Sabbir Hossain said that army team went to the place of occurrence to conduct a raid against the UPDF men where a firefight occurred.

Superintendent of Rangamati police Md. Alamgir Kabir confirmed the incident and about the dead of two UPDF men and wounded a soldier.

UPDF in an immediate press release claimed that the whole incident of the so-called gunfight was a drama that staged by the security personnel. It termed the incident as an extrajudicial killing of their innocent workers.
In the release, Rangamati district organiser of UPDF Sachal Chakma said it was a preplanned attack on their activists by the security members. Military and their cohorts cordoned off the due when they were going to Puti Khali from Rouf Tila by a local engine boat. When they boarded into the boat then the security men abruptly started fire without any provocation at them and killing the two on the spot, he said.
Later, it was made an incident of so-called firefight and recovery of illegal arms to hush up the real incident, claimed Scahal.