Bagerhat: A suspected forest robber was killed in a reported gunfight with river police in Katiarkhal area of Sarankhola upazila in Sundarbans East Zone early on Tuesday.

The deceased is Farid, in his thirties, a resident of Bouddhomari village of Mongla upazila and a member of notorious forest robber gang ‘Choto Bahini’.

Being tipped-off, a team of river police conducted a drive in the Sundarbans around 2:30am, said Mohammad Ali Akbar, assistant sub-inspector of Dhansagor river police outpost.

Over suspicion, the team signalled a boat to stop.

Denying the signal, the robbers from the boat opened fire on police, prompting them to retaliate, triggering the gun battle.

After half an hour, the police recovered the bullet-hit body of Farid while others managed to flee away.

Police also rescued four fishermen from the gang’s boat who were abducted for ransom on Sunday and Monday.

The team also recovered a rifle, an air gun and seven mobile phone sets from the boat.