11 arrested for robbing people posing as cops

Police arrested 11 persons through a drive in the capital's Sabujbagh early yesterday on charge of impersonating members of the detective branch (DB) to rob people coming out of banks and money exchange and jewellery shops.

Among objects recovered from their possession are three pistols, two "pipe guns", three magazines and five bullets, things generally not found with such gangs, DB Deputy Commissioner (East) Md Nurunnabi told The Daily Star.

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Police also recovered three vehicles, five vests similar to those used by DB, a walkie-talkie, five handcuffs and knives.

“The gang of criminals known as 'Mama-Khoka group' used to act in such a smart manner that even policemen failed to suspect them,” said a DB official who took part in the drive.

DB Senior Assistant Commissioner Md Iqbal Hossain believes two persons on the run, namely Khokon and Mamun, are the masterminds and the gang's trainers and that they are retired members of law enforcement agencies.

Police said the accused, wearing the vests, roamed business areas before picking a target and calling others to bundle the target up in rented private cars or microbuses.

After taking away valuables, the victims are left on secluded roads, said police.

The 11 have been identified as as Yousuf Kazi, Akash Rahman Mintu, Afsar Ali, Faruk Hossain, Malek Mia, Abdul Malek Mia, Masud Parvez, Shahin Kazi, Liton Sheikh, Masum Gazi and Aslam Sheikh.

It is hard to collect vests and walkie-talkies similar to ones used by law enforcers, said Nurunnabi, adding, "We are now investigation how it reached their hands.”

Addressing a briefing at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police media centre, DB Joint Commissioner Abdul Baten said these groups also target rickshaw and bus passengers at night and early morning.

During the day, they target bank clients by maintaining sources inside the financial institutions, he said.

The arrestees will be interrogated and two separate cases were filed with Sabujbagh Police Station, he added.

Iqbal said the ringleaders recruited members luring financially insolvent young people in remote districts with promises of lucrative jobs. DB police say at least six such gangs were arrested in the last one year.