No clue yet to Neamoti Bandar looting

No looted goods could be recovered. One of the three arrested personsnight guard Jahangir--gave confessional statement under Section 164, but no important clue was found in his statement, police said.

The officer-in-charge of Bakerganj PS and the OC of DB police in Barisal are coordinating the investigation.

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High police officials say the Neamoti incident is similar to the attack on Bhandaria Bandar in Pirojpur district on July 29.

Inter-district gangs could be involved in the incidents.

Police are collecting information about criminal gangs in Muradnagar in Comilla, the Sundarbans and Meghna river estuary areas and outlaws in the southwestern region.

These gangs operate in Barisal, Chittagong and Khulna regions, they said.

Police sources said some of the ornaments looted from Neamoti Bandar could have been sold at Barisal Colony in Chittagong city.

A special team of Barisal police went to Chittagong on November 7.

The team includes Inspector Shahidullah, two sub inspectors of Bhandaria and Betagi thanas and two Union Parishad chairmen of the areas who are familiar with activities of these criminal gangs.

Police said the operation style was similar in Bhandraia and Neamoti Bandar. Both incidents were well-planned and done by trained hardened criminals, they said.

Forty-seven alleged criminals were arrested in connection with Bhandria incident. That was a blow to the manpower of the gangs.

But recurrence of such incident at Neamoti within a short time proves that ring leaders and godfathers of the criminals are still very much active.

Use of sophisticated modern arms like SMG, LMG, Shot Gun, Chinese riffle etc and ammunition of Bangladesh Ordinance Factory also indicates their link with army men or retired army men, they said.

One source said a retired NCO (non-commissioned officer) of BDR "along with his colleagues and friends" are also in the criminal gang.