15 of 23 'top' outlaws stay in India, run parties thru'cell phone
Police say drives on to nab them before polls
Twenty-three hardened outlaws and gang leaders in Kushtia and Chuadanga are yet to be netted despite all out attempts by law enforcers including announcement of bounty for their arrest three years ago.
Of them, 9 are from Kushtia and 14 from Chuadanga. All are 'most wanted' hardened criminals.
According to sources, at least 15 out of the 23 criminals are staying at different hideouts in West Bengal province of India. They maintain links with their men in Bangladesh through cell phone and carry out party activities from there.
They stay in Bongram, Dangarpara, Barhatroy, Tilakpur, Ujipur in Nadia, Guru Dura and Shibmandir in Siliguri. Several of them stay in rented flats in Kolkata, the sources clkaimed.
Talking to this correspondent, some high officials of Khulna Range police admitted that they have information about activities of the criminals outside the country.
"They are being sheltered by some criminals in a neighbouring country in exchanging large amounts of money," one of the officials said over cell phone seeking anonymity.
Indian police have arrested some of the criminals including 'most wanted ones' in recent times.
Bangladesh government, at talks, also requested the Indian government to arrest the criminals, he said.
Some of them are staying in their areas in Bangladesh. They collect toll from businessmen and contractors through their grass-roots cadres.
Several joint combing operations by law enforcers including Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were launched at different rimes but showed little success.
The government on October 23, 2005 announced bounties varying from Tk 20, 000 to Tk five lakh for information leading to arrest of 20 hardened outlaws of Chuadanga who created at reign of terror in ten districts of southwestern region and three districts in Northern region.
Twenty hardcore outlaws of Chuadanga were Abdur Rahid Malitha lias Tapan Malitha alias Dada Tapan, Jamal Uddin alias Rabi alias Nuruzzaman,Rony Biswas, Bidi, Kalu, Rabi, Somser alias Sama, Shajahan, Azad, Tahndu, Amirul, Habibur alias Oltu, Mizanur alias Major, Rabiul, Mozammel alias Moka, Sahidul, Khorsed, Tomsel and Kismat.
Of them, six were killed in 'crossfire' in last three years in Chuadanga. They are Abir Hasan, Rnoy Biswas Jamal Uddin, Somser alias Sama, Habibur alias Oltu, Kalu and Mozammel alias Moka.
According to Kushtia police, two GMF leaders--Sahin and Abedwere arrested by West Bengal police last month. They are still in custody
of Indian police.
According to police, law enforcers in last three years arrested a good number of outlaws and gang leaders.
Kushtia Police Superintendent Mosleh Uddin Ahmed said they give top priority to arrest of outlaws as the parliamentary election is expected in December.
Chuadanga Police Superinten-dent Abdur Razzak said outlaws and hardened criminals must be arrested before the polls so that they can not be used by politicians to influence election results.
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