A man, branded drug dealer by law enforcement, has been killed in an alleged gun battle with the police detectives in Mymensingh on the wee hours of Tuesday.

The victim was identified as Bachchu alias Bhebel Bachchu, 45, who named in 15 narcotics cases, said the OC of Detective Branch Ashiqur Rahman.

Ashiqur Rahman said that their team raided the Shambhuganj area around 3am after being tipped off that several drug dealers were sharing the illegal merchandise among themselves.

The drug offenders first hurled chunks of bricks at the lawmen and then opened fire, prompting the DB team to return fire in self-defence, the OC claimed.

After the battle, police found the bullet-hit body of Bachchu and took him to the Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

He was then declared dead by the duty doctors.

Police claimed to have recovered 200 pieces of contraband Yaba pills and four bullets from the site after the skirmish.

It is believed that a number of ‘drug peddlers have been killed and thousands detained during the government-backed crackdown on narcotics launched in May, which has been marred by allegations of human rights abuses.