Arms peddlers, outlaws active ahead of UP polls in Jessore
Seizure of ten foreign-made firearms and 26 bullets from Benapole and arrest of nine of outlaws on Tuesday bear testimony to arms smuggling and reappearance of outlaws, much to the worry of candidates ahead of the union parishad (UP) elections in Jessore district.
Elections to 91 union UPs under eight upazilas of Jessore district will be held from June 6 and July 5 this year.
Tipped off, a team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday afternoon seized the arms and ammunition at Raipur village under Benapole Port police station and arrested Sujon of Mankia village in the area for possessing it.
The seized materials and the arrested 'arms trader' were handed ever to Benapole police station the same day and an arms case was recorded with the police station on Wednesday.
Sources of Benapole police station said that an organised syndicate of arms traders are involved in smuggling of Indian arms into the country through different border routes of Jessore district, including Raghunathpur, Putkhali, Daulatpur, Saidpur and Gatopara.
Seeking anonymity, a candidate for the post of UP chairman in Jessore Sadar upazila expressed fear that most of the smuggled arms would be supplied to outlaws.
Ahead of the upcoming UP elections in Jessore district, arms smuggling through border routes has increased while cadres of different underground organisations, especially PBCP (Janajuddho), Biplobi Communist Party, Sramajibi Mukti Andolon and Gano Bahani are regrouping in the area, reliable sources said.
Armed members of these underground parties are being contacted by a section of UP chairman and member candidates belonging to both ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP in these eight outlaw-infested upazilas of Jessore district to flex muscle 'whenever needed', they said.
On Tuesday night, a police team led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Anisur Rahman of Jessore arrested nine outlaws from their hideout at Haridaskati village under Monirampur upazila of Jessore district.
The outlaws were holding a secret meeting in their hideout, said Monirampur police station officer in charge Sairuddin Ahmed, adding that at least ten more outlaws managed to escape, after exploding two powerful hand bombs during the incident.
Admitting the incidents of arms smuggling through different border areas of Jessore district and reappearance of outlaws, ASP Anisur Rahman said, "We are always on high alert and trying our best to arrest outlaws and seize illegal arms so that the upcoming UP elections in Jessore district are held peacefully."
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