The new anti-abduction squad of the police detained eight people in the capital’s Badda area yesterday for carrying out criminal activities in the guise of law enforcers.
The move came at a time when law enforcement agencies are being blamed for the spike in abductions, forced disappearances and killings around the country.
Krishna Pada Roy, deputy commissioner of detective police, told a press conference yesterday that the gang was one of many who had been involved in various criminal activities such as entering houses, offices and looting valuables and extorting money in and around the capital.
Sources in the police said these criminals bought the various equipment used by law enforcers from the Polwel Super Market in Paltan, the Rajarbagh Police Lines Market, and some markets in Lalbagh, Jatrabari, Jurain, Khilgaon, Mohammadpur and Mirpur.
Although there are strict instructions from authorities to not sell anything without verifying identity cards, there are allegations that none of the shop-owners in these markets obey the orders.
There are also allegations that these gangs have been carrying out their activities right under the nose of the law, but the enforcers have not done anything in this regard.
During yesterday’s drive, apart from arresting the criminals, the anti-abduction squad also recovered 20 crude bombs, one Russian shotgun, handcuffs and a walkie-talkie handset.
DC Roy also told journalists that the squad had been keeping an eye on the Aftabnagar area around midnight on Sunday when they spotted two suspicious microbuses. They managed to catch one while the other escaped, Roy said, suspecting that the gang might be a 14-member one.
He claimed that in a primary investigation, the arrested confessed their crime. Tajul Mridha alias Sujon, 32, was said to be the ringleader.
Some of the arrested said they had been collecting the equipment from some of the local markets and the shopkeepers have never tried to verify their identities.
Roy also said the anti-abduction squad, formed two days ago, is currently working on 17 specific complaints, the last of which came the day before yesterday about a girl going missing from the capital’s Rampura area.
When journalists asked why the squad is conducting raids in plainclothes despite a ban, the DC said the criminals will get alerted and flee if they see law enforcers in uniforms.
According to sources from the police headquarters, a total of 103 shops around the country have been authorised to sell equipment used by law enforcers.
Although only 49 of them are in Dhaka, more than 70 shops have been reportedly selling the equipment.
Mohammad Sarowar, an additional inspector general of police, told the Dhaka Tribune that there is no rule governing the sale of such equipment.
He also said stern actions will be taken if any such shop is found selling equipment without authorisation and checking identities.