Mugging, extortion increased last year

Mugging and extortion marked a sharp rise last year from 2019, although the country saw a fall in overall crime incidents during the same period.

An analysis into crime statistics prepared by the Police Headquarters (PHQ) showed that incidents of mugging registered a jump of 67 percent, the highest among all types of crimes, followed by extortion which saw a 36 percent spike last year from the year before.

Social scientists and police pointed at Covid-19 pandemic as the main reason behind the increase in snatching and extortion as it pushed a large number of people into financial hardship last year.

Similarly, the pandemic-induced 66-day shutdown that started from March 26 last year, also contributed to the drop in the crime incidents, they said.

According to PHQ statistics, the total number of crimes fell by around 17 percent last year than the previous year.

The PHQ prepared the report on the basis of the number of cases filed with police stations across the country in the last two years.

According to the statistics, 541 cases were registered for mugging or snatching last year, compared to 323 in 2019.

Some 129 cases were filed for extortion last year. It was 95 the year before.

In 2019, as many as 2,25,684 crime-related cases were in the police stations across the country. The number dropped to 1,87,926 last year, with narcotics-related cases seeing a major dip, show the statistics.

Dr M Khurshid Alam, chairman of Bangladesh Institute of Social Research (BISR) Trust, said incidents of mugging increased as income of marginal groups dropped due to pandemic.

"In such circumstances, it could be assumed that such cases [of mugging] would increase," he told The Daily Star.

He, however, said incidents of extortion go up when social and political disorder is on the rise.

"Extortion is a manifestation of political disorder," he said.

Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of detective branch (Gulshan Division), gave the example of a trader who turned to crime after his business collapsed in the wake of the pandemic.

Apel Mahmud (26) used to sell clothes and seasonal fruits in the capital's Badda. But as his business went down after the outbreak, he and some of his friends started cheating people, he said. They engaged their wives to trap people in various ways and would then torture the victims to extort money. A man named Sayeed Nagar fell into their trap and was killed later by the gang.

Apel and his wife were arrested on July 12 last year.

Giving another example, Mashiur said some CNG-auto rickshaw drivers formed a mugging gang after their income fell drastically.

The gang members, posing as auto-rickshaw driver, would pick people in their vehicles and loot their belongings. The gang killed a man in June Last year in 300-foot road area after snatching his valuables, added DC Mashiur.

"We found some 'unprofessional' offenders getting involved in mugging, extortion and cheat as their income dropped significantly due to pandemic," he said.

OTHER CRIMES

The statistics showed an upswing last year in some other types of crimes including rape, women and children repression, robbery, cattle theft, abduction for ransom, burglary and acid throwing.

As many as 6,555 rape cases were filed across the country last year, 683 more from the cases filed in 2019. According to police record, rape cases rose by 12 percent.

However, cases for crimes like murder, robbery with murder, abduction and police assault declined last year than previous year.

The total number of cases filed under Law and Order Disruption Crimes (Speedy Trial) Act also rose to 871 last year from 531 in 2019. Crimes under the act include mugging, manipulation of tender bidding, and damage to property and vehicles.

Assistant Inspector General (Media) at the Police Headquarters Sohel Rana said people belonging to lower rung of the society whose earnings and livelihood were shattered by the pandemic might have opted for alternative and quick earning sources.

Replying to a query, he said police have increased both physical and online monitoring on public places by mobile patrol teams and through CCTV monitoring systems.

"…Police are launching awareness programmes. On any information of a criminal offence, police respond at the quickest possible time," he insisted.

Alongside the policing measures, Sohel Rana said, other societal factors and underlying issues should be addressed by the appropriate authorities to get a long-term solution to such problems.