Members of Agyan party, a group who rob people after drugging them, have become active all over the district, including at bus and launch terminals, ferry ghats and railway stations.
Many bus passengers said the Agyan party operatives have become active and are roaming around different crowed places, including at bus terminals, launch terminals, ferry ghats, railway stations, the Daulatdia brothel and shopping malls.
Sources said over 100 Agyan party members, including women, are active in the southern districts including Rajbari , Faridpur, Madaripur, Jessore, Jhenidah and Kushtia.
Most of the victims include traders and bus passengers. In many cases, the gangsters use beautiful girls to make their mission a success.
The criminals make their targets unconscious by feeding them sedative-mixed food items and then take away their belongings.
Md Abdul High, 60, a cloth trader from Kushtia, fell victim to muggers at Rajbari police line bus stand area in Rajbari Sadar upazila on May 26 at noon.
The helpless trader had fallen from the bus when he had become unconscious. Locals sent him to Rajbari Sadar Hospital. He was released from the hospital after two days.
He said he was coming from Barisal by bus on May 26. On the way, another bus passenger gave him some cucumber to eat. Before this he had been talking quite cordially with Abdul, as one would with a close relative.
“I ate his offered food with confidence. Then, at one stage, I fell unconscious. I don’t know what happened later, but the muggers looted valuables, cash, mobile phone and some clothes from me,” said he.
Another victim, Abul Basher, 65, from Noakhali, was recently going to his relative’s house in Ramkantopur village of Rajbari Sadar upazila.
He said:”I got off the ferry and got onto a bus. At that time, a criminal gave me some betel. Later, I became unconscious. After three days, when I was released from the hospital, I saw that I had lost all my valuables.”
When contacted, Md Abul Basher, officer-in-charge of Goalondo police station said, innocent people and traders often fell victim to such gangs and lost their cash and valuables. “In most of the cases, the victims do not inform police and we cannot take action,” said the OC.
Dr Arefin Sarker of Rajbari, said the victims came to the hospital with the help of locals, and such victims always regain their consciousness within 24-48 hours of the occurrence.
“In some cases, many victims who consume excessive amounts of sedative-infused foods, die after the doping,” he pointed out.
“A number of law- enforcers – both in uniform and plainclothes – are now moving in to different strategic points at Daulatdia launch ghat and ferry ghat areas in Goalondo upazila to catch the criminals, including muggers and agyan party members,” said Abul Basher.
