A group of armed assailants committed a vicious robbery at a jewellery shop in the capital’s Tantibazar area yesterday, where they shot the owner and staff in broad daylight.
The robbery took place around 2:30pm when the area was crowded.
Police said some 6-8 people entered the shop which was on the ground floor of seven storied Nawab Bhaban in the area. They wore black masks and started firing indiscriminately inside the shop. They then looted around 100 tolas of gold from the shop, holding Sumon Sutradhar, 38, the owner of the shop, and Gonga, 22, a staff, at gun point, said Uttam Saha, the owner of a nearby shop.
When locals attempted to stop the robbers as they were leaving the spot, the robbers shot Suman and Gonga.
Suman is undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and Gonga was taken to a private clinic for treatment.
Hearing the gunshots, the locals tried to come closer, but the criminals fired several more gunshots and blasted crude bombs, enabling them to get away.
When asked about the looted valuables, Papon, Sumon’s brother-in-law, told the Dhaka Tribune that it was not possible to calculate the losses until Suman got well, since only Sumon knew the real figure. He, however, estimated that it might be around 100 tolas.
When contacted, Lalbagh division Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdus Salam said police had been investigating the incident and trying to nab the culprits and recover the gold.
No one was arrested in this connection till the filing of this report.
Meanwhile, shops owners and staff in the area staged a demonstration by closing their shops and demanded the immediate arrest of the attackers and that stern measures be taken against them.
