408 held in crackdown on teen gangs in Cumilla, Noakhali

Law enforcers in Cumilla and Noakhali districts detained a total of 408 teen gang members in separate incidents in two days.

CUMILLA: Police and the Detective Branch (DB) in a joint overnight crackdown on Friday across all 18 police station areas in the district detained 363 teen gang members.

The operation, which began on Friday evening and continued into the early hours of Saturday, involved senior district police officials, local police units and DB personnel. It was the fifth such operation by Cumilla District Police as part of efforts to curb youth crime.

Police have detained 2,035 people in five operations since September 23. In the previous four operations, conducted through September 30, 1,672 people were detained. After screening, 930 were released into their parents’ custody after signing bonds, while 742 were sent to jail through court proceedings.

Police said Friday’s operation targeted locations in Cumilla city and elsewhere in the district where groups of teenagers and young people suspected of engaging in criminal or disruptive activities frequently gather.

Authorities are reviewing the alleged offenses and involvement of the 363 detainees and said legal action will be taken against those found to have committed crimes following preliminary investigations.

Mohammad Lutfur Rahman, head of the district police media cell and additional superintendent of police, said the district police were continuing such operations to prevent teenagers from becoming involved in crime, gang culture and drugs.

NOAKHALI: Police detained 45 people in anti-teen gang operations across several police stations in the district on Friday, officials said on Saturday. One was shown arrested in a previous case, while the other 44 were released into their families’ custody after signing bonds.

The arrests were made in Sudharam Model, Companiganj, Begumganj Model, Char Jabbar, Sonaimuri, Chatkhil and Kabirhat police station areas.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Peyar Ahmed said that on the instructions of Superintended of Police N M Nasiruddin, the operations would continue to curb gang-related activity, prevent youth involvement in crime and maintain public safety. Police will also conduct awareness programmes with parents, schools, elected representatives and community members.