Iwo outlaws were killed in separate shootouts' between their cohorts and law enforcers in Kushtia and Khulna districts early yesterday.

TWo policemen were also injured during the gunfight in Khulna.

The dead were identified as Amirul Islam Khan, 40. a top cadre of outlawed Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF) and son of Shomsel Khan of Kushtia sadar upazila, and Nirapada Bairagi, 50. operations commander of New Biplobi Communist Party in Khulna.

Our Kushtia correspondent reports, Amirul was killed in a 'shoot out' between his associates and police at Bittipara village in sadar upazila early yesterday.

According to police, a joint team of Detective Branch and Islamic University police raided the Bittipara field near Bittipara bazar following a tip-off that some cadres of GMF were holding a secret meeting there at about 2:30am.

The law enforcers surrounded the area and asked the outlaws to surrender. But they defied and opened fire forcing them to fire back, police said.

Ilie incident triggered a half-an-hour long gunfight. Amirul was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot. His accomplices, however, managed to escape. Police recovered one LG gun and four bullets from the spot.

Amirul was accused in 12 cases including eight for murder filed with different police stations in Kushtia, police said.

Our staff correspondent in Khulna reports: Nirapada Bairagi was killed in a shootout between his associates and police around 3:10am at Ranai village of Dumuria upazila in Khulna yesterday.

He was the son of Shannashi Bairagi of Sajiarha village of the upazila.

Fauzul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Dumuria Police Station, said the law enforcers raided the spot following a tip-off that some outlaws were holding a secret meeting.

Sensing presence of the police, the outlaws opened fire prompting them to retaliate that triggered a gunfight.

At one stage, the outlaws fled the scene leaving Nirapada dead.

According to Khulna police super, two policemen received bullets in their legs during the 35-minute long gunfight. They are undergoing treatment at the Dumuria Health Complex.

The outlaws fired twenty shots while police retaliated and fired 11 rounds in self-defence, police super added.

Police recovered a shutter gun, three cartridges, a rifle bullet and five empty shells from the scene.

The deceased was wanted in several murder, kidnapping and dacoity cases. OC added.