Robbers in army guise loot house

Dacoits in the guise of army personnel looted more than Tk 8 lakh in cash and gold ornaments from a jewellery trader's residence-cum- shop at Tanti Bazar in old part of the city on Tuesday night, police sources said.

The gang members, dressed like army men and boarding a vehicle like the ones used by troops, went to the trader's residence at about 10 pm and entered it on the plea that there were illegal firearms in the house.

The elements then confined the family members in a room and robbed cash 30 tolas of gold ornaments and about Tk 80,000 from the first floor of the house, according to a case filed with the Kotwali Police Station on Wednesday.

The trader, Bikas Ghosh, further complained in the case, "They (dacoits) then blindfolded and dragged me to the ground floor and forced me to open my jewellery shop there. Then they looted 60 tolas of gold ornaments and about Tk 6000."

The gang then compelled me to board their vehicle and drove towards the Jatiya Press Club. Later, they dropped me near the stadium.

Bikash said all the seven members of the gang were clean-shaved and aged 25 to 35.

A UNB report from Brahmanbaria adds: In a similar incident, a gang of 10 dressed like army and police personnel committed dacoity in the house of a former union parishad chairman at Basudev village in Sadar upazila on Tuesday night.

They entered the house Abu Kauser, saying they would conduct a search. Then they took away about Tk 50,000 in cash and gold ornaments, family members said.

Police visited the spot but none could be arrested yet.