Two alleged drug peddlers have been killed in Cox’s Bazar in what the police described as shootout.

The incident was reported around 2am on Thursday (Jan 10) from the district’s Teknaf Upazila, said police.

The victims are identified as 47-year-old Abdur Rashid and 35-year-old Abul Kalam.

“Acting on a tip-off, a team of police conducted a drive in the early hours of Thursday. Around 2am, as soon as the team reached at Khurermukh area in Sabrang Union, some yaba traders opened fire prompting the law enforcingmen to fire back in self-defense which triggered the shootout, said Teknaf police OC Pradeep Kumar Das.

“Later, two bodies, 5 local weapons and 22,000 yaba tablets were recovered from the scene,” OC Das added.

Police said that Rashid and Kalam were wanted criminals.

Three policemen, Sub-Inspector Borhan Uddin, Assistant Sub-Inspector Forhad and Constable Hridoy, were injured in the incident.

The bodies have been kept at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for autopsy.