Attack on Uttara couple: Police arrest 5, seize weapons
Police say the arrestees are members of an organised criminal gang
Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the attack on a couple in the capital's Uttara on Monday night and recovered the machetes used in the attack.
The arrested individuals are Md Mobarak Hossain, 25, Robi Roy, 22, Md Alfaz Mia alias Shishir, 22, Sajib, 20, and Mehedi Hasan Saif, 24.
During a press conference at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road on Wednesday (19 February), DMP Uttara Division Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawnak Jahan provided details of the attack on Mehebul Hasan, 37, and his wife Nasrin Akter Ipti, 28.
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She said, "The arrestees are members of a crime gang. Among the arrestees, Saif and Shishir attacked the victims with machetes.
"Victim Nasrin Akter filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Uttara West Police Station. Based on this case, Shishir, who allegedly attacked the victims with a machete, was arrested in Abdullahpur Paschim Para on Tuesday afternoon," she added.
The deputy commissioner added that Sajid was arrested from Gazipur's Konabari and Mehedi Hasan Saif from Tongi's Mazarbosti area during the early hours of Wednesday. A motorcycle used in the incident and a shirt worn by Saif during the attack were seized from his custody.
Police recovered two machetes used in the attack from the banks of Turag River.
What happened in Uttara on Monday night
A video went viral on Facebook on Monday night showing two people attacking a couple on Road 9 of Uttara's Sector-7 with sharp weapons at around 9pm.
The victims were seen screaming for their lives in the video.
According to police, the incident occurred after a motorcycle, recklessly driven by two youths, hit a rickshaw; the rickshaw puller initially protested, and the couple on a nearby motorcycle joined the rickshaw puller's side.
At one point, the two youths became aggressive, called more people to the scene, and threatened the couple. They then attacked the couple with sharp weapons.
The couple was later admitted to a private hospital in the city.
Bystanders alleged that they called 999 immediately, but police were slow to respond.
Dodging the question on the delay, Saddam Hossain, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Uttara zone, said they usually respond immediately after receiving a call from the national emergency service.
When asked why the police did not act on the information earlier, he said they always remained vigilant to maintain law and order.
Residents have said that such crimes, including mugging and sharp weapon attacks, have increased in various areas of Uttara in recent times.
