9 including 3 ex-army personnel detained

Police have arrested nine members of a robbery gang in connection with the robbery of Tk 38 lakh at gunpoint in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on August 30.. Three of the arrestees are retired army personnel, while some had also previously served in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police said.

Members of the gang allegedly lured victims by offering to sell them gold. They would then carry out pre-planned robberies, either intercepting the victims on the way or holding them hostage before taking their money.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (Crime) Md Faruk Hossain disclosed the information at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road in the capital on Sunday.

He said police arrested the nine suspects in separate raids in connection with the robbery of Tk 38 lakh in front of Dingi Restaurant in Dhanmondi on August 30.

The arrestees are -- Tanvir Abedin, 41, Md Mujibur Rahman, 60, Md Zakir Hossain alias Captain Zakir, 60, Md Solaiman Mridha, 55, Mohammad Kabir Hossain, 50, Abul Kalam Azad, 50, Md Zakaria Hossain alias Lenin, 40, Sajal Chowdhury, 31, and Saimun Chowdhury, 33.

Police recovered and seized Tk 575,350 of the stolen money from the suspects.

Asked about the ranks of the retired army personnel among the arrestees, Faruk Hossain said Mujibur Rahman had retired as a sergeant, Mohammad Zakir Hossain alias Captain Zakir as an honorary captain, and Solaiman as a senior warrant officer.

Describing the gang’s modus operandi, the police official said some of the suspects were involved in buying and selling gold. They would identify prospective buyers and tell them that they had gold available for sale and ask them to bring money.

“After discussing the deal at one location, they would carry out the robbery while taking the victim to another location to exchange the gold for money,” he said.