Dismissed ASI among 6 arrested over 350 bhori gold robbery in Ctg

Police have arrested six people, including a dismissed police ASI, in connection with the robbery of 350 bhori of gold in Chattogram.

The arrested are former assistant sub-inspector Suman Chandra Das, 42, Md Masud Rana alias Bike Babu, 30, Rafiqul Islam alias Iman, 22, Robi Kumar Das, 40, Panna Rani Das alias Dipali Rani Das, 38, and Vivek Banik, 42. Suman was previously dismissed for involvement in criminal activities and had been arrested in a prior gold robbery case. 

Speaking at a press briefing today (9 January), Habibur Rahman Pramanik, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police's (CMP) Detective Branch (North), said, "Based on the confessions of the arrested suspects, police recovered a cardboard box from a house in Rayer Bazar, Mohammadpur, containing 29 gold bars, weighing a total of 290 bhori."

According to police, on the morning of 4 January, a person named Sabuj Debnath was travelling with two associates in a CNG autorickshaw from Kotwali area toward Bayezid Bostami's Oxygen area. Near Atura Depot, four robbers on two motorcycles allegedly blocked their way, threatened and assaulted them, and snatched 35 gold bars (350 bhori), three mobile phones, and cash.

A case was filed at Panchlaish Model Police Station on 5 January. 

A joint team from Detective Branch (North) and Panchlaish police, launched a coordinated operation yesterday evening (8 January) and arrested prime suspect Suman Chandra Das, Md Masud Rana, and Rafiqul Islam from Madhabpur in Gazipur, police said. A motorcycle allegedly used in the robbery was also recovered.

According to police, during initial questioning, Suman admitted to leading the planned robbery. Based on his information, Robi Kumar Das was arrested from Mohammadpur, Dhaka, and later, Panna Rani Das was detained from Boropul, Halishahar, Chattogram. Vivek Banik, who allegedly acted as a secret informant for the gold, was arrested from the Kotwali area in Chattogram.