Criminals active in guise of law enforcers
10 arrested, police equipment seized
A number of gangs disguised as law enforcers are committing crimes in the city ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, thanks to a lack of strong monitoring on shops which sell police uniform and equipment.
Detective Branch of police on Thursday arrested ten such criminals possessing a sub-inspector's uniform, six bullets, three wireless sets, three handcuffs, two machetes, a car and a microbus from a petrol pump near Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city.
The arrestees are Mohammad Shamim, Mohammad Yasin alias Shahid, Kazi Motaleb, Azizul, Monu Miah, Mozaffar, Amir Hossain, Selim, Nesar Ali, and Mohammad Naser, all residents of different parts in the city.
During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees said the uniform and handcuffs came from some shopkeepers in Polwel Super Market in the city's Paltan.
Abdul Kayum Talukder, president of Polwel Supermarket Shop Owners' Association, said Police Headquarters enlisted around 40 shops there to sell equipment to law enforcers only but there are several other traders across the city illegally selling such equipment.
DB Senior Assistant Commissioner Abdul Ahad said such gangs, numbering four to five, are active.
They first follow people who have just drawn cash from banks or are carrying handsome sums of money. At one point, they force their victims into cars at gunpoint, snatch the money and leave the victim on a solitary road, he added.
Police will investigate whether any shop owner is involved in illegally selling police equipment, he added.
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