3 men held in Gajaria over alleged robbery with machetes, petrol and crude bombs
“We are not robbers. Our rivals, the Noyon-Pias group, beat us last night and handed us over to the crowd. These cartridges, machetes, crude bombs, and petrol bombs were planted on us,” said one detainee
Three men were held by locals in Guagachia area in Gajaria Upazila, over an alleged robbery. The crowd later handed them to the police, and 21 cartridges, three machetes, 20 crude bombs, and six petrol bombs were recovered from them.
The incident occurred around 2:30am in the early hours today (12 December) in Shimulia village of Guagachia Union. The three men held are identified as Abu Hanif, Rasel, and Lokman.
OC of Gajaria Police Station, Md Hasan Ali, said all three of them are now held at the police station. "Some weapons were recovered, and the matter is under investigation."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Eyewitnesses said the area had recently experienced increased local patrols due to rising thefts and robberies. The patrol started around midnight and spotted 10–12 people in the village around 2 am. Some fled, but three were caught by the crowd. The crowd restrained them and later handed them over to the police at 9am this morning.
Dr Nure Alam Ziku, emergency doctor at Gozaria Upazila Health Complex, said three injured men were brought to the hospital. He added that Lokman and Abu Hanif were in serious condition with injuries to different parts of their bodies. X-rays have been taken to check for broken limbs.
However, the detainees claimed they were not robbers and said rival groups had beaten them and handed them over to the crowd.
Lokman claimed, "We are not robbers. Our rivals, the Noyon-Pias group, beat us last night and handed us over to the crowd. These cartridges, machetes, crude bombs, and petrol bombs were planted on us."
