Police have detained three suspected muggers who snatched nearly Tk 1 crore from officials of companies supplying manpower to the ongoing Payra Thermal Power Plant project in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali.

Belal, Sohel, and Nazmul were picked up from different areas in the upazila this morning, our Patuakhali correspondent reports quoting Abul Bashar, officer-in-charge at Amtoli Police Station.    

They are being interrogated for information on their cohorts and the stolen money, the police official said.

Muggers attacked officials of REW, SEW, and JT Traders—companies supplying manpower to the powerplant--- near Tiakhali College on Patuakhali-Kalapara road yesterday evening.

The officials were returning to the power plant on a microbus after withdrawing money from Premier Bank (Barishal branch).

The driver came to a halt after seeing a van parked on the road and some bamboos lying on the road. At this point, 10 to 12 men on motorcycles forced the driver to go towards Tiakhali Kacha Sarak, according to witnesses.

The muggers then beat up the officials and hacked two – Jhunu and Tanveen –when they tried to protest.

The muggers then fled the scene with the money. The cash was to be paid as salary for 500 workers for the month of January.

Police went to the spot, on information, and detained the microbus driver and seized the vehicle, said Manoranjan Mistry, officer-in-charge (investigation) at Amtoli Police Station.