Locals guard their areas at night as robbery on rise

Amid alarming rise of robbery and theft in Galachipa upazila, locals have arranged guarding their areas by turns at night.
Over a hundred of such crimes were committed in different villages under Galachipa Sadar, Panpatti, Ratande-Taltali, Dakua and Golakhali unions under Galachipa upazila in last two months. The criminals injured over 20 villagers during the incidents.
On the night of May 22, a gang looted Tk about 5,000, cloths, cell phones from the house of Nurul Haque of Galachipa village. On the same night, masked robbers entered three houses of Sardarbari in Golakhali village and looted cash and valuables worth over Tk 50,000.
On May 15, a gang of five or six entered Ratan Mia's house, tied all male members with ropes, and looted cash and valuables worth about Tk one lakh from there.
On May 5, the gang entered the house of Alam Mir of Atkhali village and looted over Tk 40,000 and three tolas of gold ornaments.
Houses of Abu Master of Purbo Atkhali village, Dilip Gangulee of Dakua village, Dulal Mistri of Pashchim Atkhali village were also robbed recently.
To save themselves, groups of villagers along with village police are keeping watch overnight by turns. Local UP chairman and members are helping the villagers' initiative.
With the help of villagers police arrested five people when they were making preparation to commit robbery at Krisnapur village last week, said SM Ziaul Haque, officer in charge (OC) of Galachipa police station.
They arrestees are Hossen Sarder, 50, of Mamuntaktee village, and Babul Gazi, 50, Abdul Jalil, 26, Bareq Gazi, 55, and Taslima Begum, 45, of Krisnapur village under the upazila.
"We are trying our best to nab robbers and thieves with the help of villagers and village policemen," the OC said.
Meanwhile, criminals snatched Tk 10.50 lakh after badly injuring a businessman in Amtali upazila town Wednesday morning.
The victim is Amal Paul, 50, a cattle trader of Amtali upazila.
Amal Paul drew money from his account at Amtali branch of Sonali Bank and started for the cattle market about half a kilometre away, police and locals said.
When he reached the opposite of Amtali College at about 10:00am, a gang waylaid him, shot him on the leg, stabbed different parts of his body with a sharp weapon and snatched away the money from him.