Bogura: An ‘outlawed’ party leader was killed in a reported gunfight between two rival groups at Boalkandi in Sherpur upazila early Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Shafiur Rahman Jyoti, 53, son of late Mozaffar Hossain of Pratakhaduli village in Dhunat upazila. Police claimed that he was a regional leader of outlawed party Sarbahar, reports the UNB.

Jyoti is also former organising secretary of Dhunat upazila BNP.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Sanatan Chakrabary said he and officer-in-charge of Sherpur Police Station Humayun Kabir along with a police team went to Boalkandi around 1:00am on information that a gun battle was taking place there.

Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the miscreants fled the scene, he said, adding that they found bullet-hit Jyoti lying on the ground.

He was taken to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the police official said, adding that they recovered one shooter gun, one cleaver, three bullets and Joyti’s motorcycle from the spot.

Sanatan said Jyoti was wanted in 13 cases, including five for murder.

He was sentenced to 84 years’ imprisonment in a case filed for looting Gurudaspur Police Station in 1987, the additional SP said.

Meanwhile, Dhunat BNP general secretary Sharafatuzzaman Pasha said Jyoti returned to normal life in the 90’s through surrender taking the opportunity of general amnesty declared by the government.

He had also got his imprisonment scrapped by the higher court, the BNP leader said, adding that he was organising secretary of their party’s upazila unit from 2001 to 2006.

Jyoti vied for the chairman post of Mathura union parishad in the last election against Awami League candidate and current chairman Selim, Pasha said.