Jewellers' link with robbers?
A section of jewellery traders here directly or indirectly have links with gangs of robbers and help them commit crimes.
These unscrupulous jewellers usually help the robber gangs by giving information like addresses of their customers who come to purchase gold ornaments.
Later, they buy the looted gold ornaments at cheaper rates or take a share of the booty and sometimes also directly take part in committing robbery.
Police said around 25 jewellers in the port city are involved in this criminal activities keeping link with at least five robber gangs those are active in the city and the district.
The incident was revealed when Kotwali police arrested a jewellery shop owner Suman Ghosh, 32, on July 30 and recovered huge quantity of cartridges and valuables from his possession.
Police started drives against robber gangs recently following the rise of incidents of robbery in different upazilas in the district.
At least 15 incidents of robbery have committed in Hathazari upazila during the last five months from January 20 to July 22, sources said.
Suman, son of late Jatra Mohan Banik of Gujara under Raozan upazila is the owner of JR Jewellers in Bahaddarhat area in the port city. Police sealed the jeweller's off.
Police arrested a gang of six robbers on May 19 with gold ornaments looted from the house of one Pradip Das at Bhabanipur under Hathazari upazila on May 4.
Of them, one arrestee is a staff of a jeweller's who told the police that JR Jeweller's owner Suman was the mastermind in the robbery.
Suman told The Daily Star that being informed about the marriage ceremony of Pradip's Brother Dilip, he (Suman) along with Prakash Dewanjee, owner of Sathi Jeweller's, went to the ceremony in his private car at Pradip's village home at Hathazari on the night of May 2.
They watched condition of the house and informed it to Khalil and Kadir, leaders of two gangs of robbers. The robbery took place on the night of May 4 from where Suman and Prakash got a good share of the looted ornaments.
Pradip said the robbers wearing half pants and hanging cartridges on necks entered their house and looted valuables, including around 100 tolas of gold ornaments, purchased and got as gift on the eve of the marriage.
Suman said he has been involved in such a crime under the shadow of jewellery trade since 1996.
He said around 25 jewellery shop owners and staffs in the port city are directly involved in robbery while some have indirect link with the miscreants.
These jewellers usually buy the looted ornaments at a cheaper price than the market price from the robbers, sometimes they keep the ammunition used in robbery, he said.
Sources said the jewellers keep record of address of their rich clients who usually purchase or make a good deal for ornaments on the occasion of marriage ceremonies.
Later, they collect more information about the customers' residences and pass it to the miscreants.
During primary interrogation, Suman told police that owners and staffs of Prema Jewellers and Chandrima Jewellers at Chandgaon, Chaiti at Hajarilane have direct link with the gangs.
Babul Akhter, assistant commissioner (AC) of police (Kotwali zone), said they have got connection of jewellers during the investigation of five incidents of robbery.
He said these traders only keep ornaments of imitation instead of gold ornaments in their show rooms to run the business.
Most of the jewellers don't maintain any receipt while they buy gold ornaments from the unknown persons violating the rule of Jewellery Association, he said.
He said they are carrying out investigation against the alleged jewellers to arrest the real culprits.
Terming these jewellery traders as fake ones
General Secretary of Bangladesh Jewellery Association Chittagong Amal Banik urged the law enforcement agencies to take action against the fake jewellers.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments