Two dismissed army personnel among 7 arrested for attempting to commit robbery

Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested seven individuals—including two dismissed army personnel—in Srinagar, Munshiganj, for trying to commit a robbery by posing as law enforcement officers. Various items for the planned robbery, including a RAB vest, walkie-talkies, a toy pistol and handcuffs, were recovered from them.

These details were disclosed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Menhazul Alam (PPM) during a press conference held on Sunday afternoon at the conference room of the Munshiganj SP office.

According to the superintendent, a team from the Detective Branch (DB) police, acting on a tip-off, learned that several individuals, disguised as RAB personnel and travelling in a silver Toyota microbus and on a red Hero X-Blade motorcycle, were planning to commit a robbery. In response, a checkpoint was set up in front of Anwar's Auto Garage, east of Haribari Bridge, and both vehicles were intercepted.

At that time, one of the perpetrators inside the microbus identified himself as a RAB officer and displayed a walkie-talkie. When the police further scrutinised their claims, the group attempted to flee, after which the DB police detained the seven individuals, including the driver.

During interrogation, they revealed that a gold trader from Srinagar Bazar was preparing to travel towards Munshiganj Sadar with approximately 1.5 kilograms of gold. Police stated that the group was waiting on the road, planning to intercept the trader and loot the gold ornaments while posing as RAB personnel.

The superintendent claimed that the group had been committing robberies using the same modus operandi along the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway and surrounding areas for a long time. Posing as law enforcement officers, they would stop passing buses and microbuses, force passengers out, take them away, assault them and loot them of their valuables. Police also noted that multiple cases had been filed against the arrested individuals at various police stations across the country.

The arrested individuals are Farhad Hossain, 40, from Sakhipur, Shariatpur; Nadim Mahmud Shanto alias Raihan Hossain, 30, a dismissed army member from Badalgachhi, Naogaon; Sergeant Mizanur Rahman, 41, a dismissed army member from Pangsha, Rajbari; Abdul Alim, 32, from Barguna; Md Sakibur Zaman Mehedi, 26, from Magura; Mehedi Hasan Sujan, 35, from Char Fasson, Bhola; and Abu Hanif, 32, from Barguna. Among them, Abu Hanif was the driver of the microbus.

The operation resulted in the police seizing the Toyota microbus and Hero X-Blade motorcycle used in the robberies, three vests marked 'RAB', two walkie-talkies, two toy pistols, two pairs of handcuffs, three ID cards bearing the RAB logo, a laser light, a sticker marked "RAB" (used to disguise themselves as RAB personnel), three checkered scarves (gamchhas), three stainless steel pipes and an electric shock device.

Superintendent of Police Md Menhazul Alam (PPM) further stated that, as of writing, legal action was being taken against the gang for their alleged robberies and impersonation of RAB personnel. Cases were being filed against the arrested individuals under the relevant laws.

- MHS/NS