Police constable detained over alleged sale of looted firearm in Ctg

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) have detained a police constable for questioning over allegations of selling a firearm that was looted from a police station. 

The accused, identified as Md Riad, was brought to Chattogram from Chandpur on Saturday night (15 March) for interrogation.

Authorities confirmed that Riad is from Kanchana in Satkania and served in the Chandpur district police and was previously stationed in the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Cox's Bazar. 

CMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (RP and Media) Mahmuda Begum told The Business Standard, "Constable Riad has been taken into custody for questioning over allegations of firearm sales. The investigation is ongoing, and nothing has been confirmed yet."

The firearm in question was stolen from Kotwali Police Station on 5 August during the July uprising. Later, it was recovered on 3 March at a crime scene in Satkania, where two Jamaat-e-Islami activists were lynched by a mob. 

Investigators later confirmed that the firearm was the same one taken from Kotwali Police Station. Authorities are still working to determine how it came into Riad's possession and how it was transferred to the Jamaat activists.

The two victims of the mob attack, Nezam Uddin and Abu Saleh, were beaten to death in the Chhan Khola area of Satkania's Eochia Union after being accused of robbery over a loudspeaker. A 9mm pistol, marked "Made in Brazil," was found at the scene.

On 6 March, during a press conference, Chattogram District Police Superintendent Saiful Islam Santu confirmed that Nezam brandished the firearm at the time of the incident. 

He stated, "The weapon recovered from the scene was the one looted from CMP's Kotwali Police Station. Several police weapons have gone missing, and we are investigating how they ended up in the hands of civilians."

Following this discovery, an audio recording allegedly featuring Constable Riad discussing an illegal firearm sale surfaced online. The recording contains statements suggesting that he was offering a weapon for purchase, claiming it was identical to those used by law enforcement. He mentioned a price of Tk5.5 lakh for the firearm and assured the buyer that ammunition could be arranged through police sources.

In another part of the recording, Riad is heard explaining that he had acquired the weapon while serving in RAB's intelligence wing. He also discussed methods for obtaining ammunition, including keeping bullets from police training sessions and using personal contacts within the force. Police have yet to confirm to whom Riad sent these recordings.