Man held over Rampura firearm snatching; pistol, bullets recovered

Police have arrested a man accused in a case filed over snatching a licensed firearm from a businessman in the capital's Rampura area.

The arrestee was identified as Yasin Patwari, 24. He was held at around 9:30pm yesterday (24 July) during a drive in the West Para area of Ashkona under Dakkhinkhan Police Station.

According to Rampura Police Station, contractor Amirul Islam was returning to his Banasree residence after visiting a project in Narsingdi on the night of July 21.

He asked his personal driver to stop the car in front of Abesh Hotel on Banasree Main Road. As he got out, Amirul suddenly felt unwell and sat down. His driver and an unknown youth nearby helped him back into the vehicle. The youth also got into the car.

When they reached the ground floor of Amirul's residence, he got out and asked the youth to step out. The youth introduced himself as Yasin. Amirul thanked him and requested him to leave.

"Suddenly, the youth forcibly snatched my licensed pistol, which was loaded with 11 rounds, from my hand and fled," Amirul said in his complaint.

Following the incident, a case was filed at Rampura Police Station.

Acting on intelligence, police later learned that the suspect was hiding in a flat in the Ashkona area. Based on the information, a team conducted a raid and arrested Yasin from the flat.

Upon searching the flat, police recovered the snatched pistol, magazine and 11 rounds of bullets hidden under a pillow in the bedroom.

Legal proceedings against the arrestee are underway, said police.