Teen gangs to be uprooted

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday urged parents to keep an eye in their children’s activities to keep them from getting involved in teen gangs.

He made the remarks while addressing a discussion at Police Staff College in Dhaka’s Mirpur over prevention of harassment, negative uses of internet, child marriage and other social issues.

“We are observing that some of the teenagers are staying out at night. I would request parents to look out for their children so that they do not get involved in teen gangs,” he said.

The home boss also said that actions would be taken as per the law if any teenager was involved in criminal activities.

“There are laws for juvenile delinquents,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia vowed to uproot the gang culture.

“Any sort of gang, may it be teen’s or adult’s, will be uprooted from Dhaka,” the DMP chief said after inspecting the security measures taken at Old Dhaka’s Hossaini Dalan area ahead of Ashura.

The statements came four days after 17-year-old Mohsin Ali was hacked to death in the capital’s Mohammadpur area allegedly by members of teen gangs.

22 HELD IN MOHAMMADPUR

Police yesterday detained 22 teenagers in Mohammadpur suspecting them to be members of different teen gangs in the area.

Anisur Rahman, deputy commissioner (Tejgaon division) of the DMP, said they conducted a drive against the teen-gang culture in Mohammadpur and held the teenagers suspected of their involvement in gangs.

Several teen gangs were active in the area, including gangs named Lara Dey, Level High, Artonad, Film Jhirjhir, Dekhe Lo Chine Lo and Kopaiya Dey, the police official said.

Most of the detainees were involved in gangs and committed crimes like sexual harassment, mugging and drug peddling, he claimed, adding that the drive was conducted to remove teen-gang activities in Tejgaon area.

The arrestees aged under 18 would be produced before the juvenile court and the rest of them would be placed before a Dhaka court, he further added.

112 OUT OF 120 RELEASED

Police yesterday released 112 teenagers of the 120 who were detained in Dhaka’s Hatir Jheel during a drive against teen gangs on Friday.

“Among the rest, five were sued under the DMP ordinance and three were sued under robbery and drug related cases,” said DC Anisur Rahman.

The drive was conducted after 17-year-old Mohsin Ali was hacked to death in Mohammadpur on Wednesday.

Including the 120, a total of 217 teenagers were held in Tejgaon area. Of them, 159 were picked up in the last two days, said police.

Dhaka’s teen-gang culture came into limelight after Adnan Kabir, a ninth grader in Uttara, was beaten to death in January 2017.

According to law enforcement agencies, around 50 teen gangs were active in different parts of the city. Most of these gang members are aged between 14 and 18 and were involved in various petty criminal activities.