Five ‘muggers’ held in Gabtoli

Detective Branch (DB) of police yesterday claimed to have arrested five members of a mugging gang, who used to hire vehicles to loot valuables from victims.

The arrestees were identified as Rasel Mahmud Sarker (37), Md Mizanur Rahman (28), Md Dabir Mia (33), Md Hasanul Banna (29), and Israfil (28).

A team of DB (north) arrested the five from Gabtolia on Sunday night, Md Golam Saklain, additional deputy commissioner of DB police, told The Daily Star.

A motorbike, Tk 6,000 in cash and seven cell phones were seized from their possession. Later, the arrestees were placed on a one-day remand for interrogation, said Saklain.

On March 14, the group picked up one Bhabotosh Chakrabarty from in front of Badda Government Primary School. They beat him and took away his Tk 18,000, six tola gold and a cell phone. Bhabotosh filed a case against unidentified people with Badda Police Station in this regard.

While conducting a shadow investigation, the DB team arrested the muggers, said ADC Saklain.

He said the arrestees were involved with mugging for over four years. They were arrested couple of times but got involved in the crime again after getting bail, he added.

Regarding the gang's strategy, the DB official said they used to hire vehicles from rent-a-car services or owners and forcibly picked up individuals in the vehicles, said Saklain.

They tortured the victim and left them in an isolated place after looting their valuables, added the ADC. "We are conducting drives to arrest other members of the gang," he added.