Pabna: A suspected leader of outlawed ‘Zulhas Bahini’ was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Dhalarchar in Bera upazila of Pabna early on Wednesday.

The deceased is Zulhas Mandal, in his forties, leader of a faction of outlawed party Purba Banglar Communist Party and son of Jashim Mandal of Dhalarcahr union in the upazila.

Jihadul Kabir, superintendent of Pabna police, said Zulhas, a top criminal of Pabna, Rajbari and Kushtia region, was arrested from New Market area in Dhaka and then handed over to Aminpur Police Station in Pabna on Tuesday.

Based on the information provided by Zulhas during primary interrogation, police along with the him conducted a drive around 2:00am to recover arms and ammunition.

When the team reached Balaz member intersection at Dhalarchar, Zulhas’s associates opened fire towards police, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate that triggered the gunfight.

At one stage, the outlaws fled the scene and police rescued the bullet-hit body of Zulhas.

Police also recovered two firearms and ammunition from the spot.