8 arrested for looting Tk 71 lakh

Police said they arrested eight members of a robbery gang, including three leaders of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal, on charge of robbing Tk 71 lakh from two gold traders.

During the robbery in Dhaka's Keraniganj on January 31, some of the robbers also pretended to be members of Rapid Action Battalion.

Police recovered a revolver, two bullets, two toy pistols and Tk 10.09 lakh stolen money from them, Md Asaduzzaman, superintendent of Dhaka District Police told a press conference at his office today.

The arrestees are Sujan Mondal, Al Amin alias Rehan, Kabir Hossain, Kamruzzaman Milton, Javed alias Sirajul Hasan, Nayan alias Babu, Md Kamal and Abdur Rahman.

"The arrestees are active members of a political party. They are accused in several other cases filed with different police stations," the SP said.

Asaduzzaman said Sujan is the general secretary of Kotwali Thana unit of Swechchhasebak Dal, Milton is the joint secretary of South Keraniganj Thana Unit of Jubo Dal, Javed is joint secretary of South Keraniganj Thana unit Swechchhasebak Dal, and Rahman is a sacked member of Air Force.

On January 31, the two victims, Nahid and Khokon, were on a bus returning to their homes at Dohar after selling gold ornaments at Tantibazar. Nahid and Khokon were carrying Tk 40 lakh and Tk 31 lakh respectively, police officials said.

When they reached Konakhola area in Keraniganj, the robbers intercepted the bus, dragged the victims off it and took them away on their microbus, he added.

Some of the robbers were also wearing vests with the words Rab inscribed on it.

The robbers tortured them inside the microbus, took away their money and dropped them off at Nimtola area, according to the statement of the case filed with Keraniganj South Police Station.