Mugging on the rise

Law enforcers have started special drives against snatchers amid a rise in mugging incidents in the capital recently.

The muggers take advantage of load-shedding and dimly-lit areas at night to snatch away valuables, spreading panic among people.

"We have started a week-long special drive against muggers," said HM Azmiul Haque, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Tejgaon Division, while talking to reporters on Friday.

According to DMP headquarters, around 500 muggers are active in various places under 50 police stations.

The number of people involved in mugging and similar crimes is high in areas under Tejgaon Division, followed by Ramna, Gulshan, Mirpur, Uttara, Motijheel, Wari and Lalbagh, according to a DMP list.

Faruk Hossain, deputy commissioner (media) of DMP, said these muggers are generally people who abuse drugs. When they run out of money, they commit such crimes.

According to DMP headquarters, around 500 muggers are active in various places under 50 police stations. The number of people involved in mugging and similar crimes is high in areas under Tejgaon Division, followed by Ramna, Gulshan, Mirpur, Uttara, Motijheel, Wari and Lalbagh.

"We have instructed our 50 police stations and DB teams to take stern action against these muggers," the DC said.

A recent mugging incident in Asad Gate area drew public attention, after a video of it went viral on social media.

A bus got stuck in a traffic jam under a footbridge on Tuesday evening. Suddenly, a mugger with a knife in his hand tried to snatch the mobile of a passenger through the window bus' window.

Sensing what was happening, the passenger started shouting, "Snatcher, snatcher!"

But after a few moments, three to four muggers with knives were seen rushing towards the bus, creating panic among passengers.

Seeing a police van, the muggers left the place. But when the bus started moving, some of the muggers tried to get in the vehicle.

A passenger filmed the incident and shared it on Facebook. The video showed that passengers were shouting and asking bus staffers to close the vehicle's door.

Ultimately, the jam cleared and the bus sped away.

DC Azmiul said they were still investigating the incident. "We are trying to identify the criminals and arrest them."

Meanwhile on October 16, a journalist of bdnews24.com became the victim of mugging at the same place, as criminals snatched her mobile.

On October 10, a reporter of The Daily Star got mugged in Dhaka University area. The muggers snatched his mobile as well.

Dhaka College student Swadhin Sarker and his cousin fell victim to a group of muggers on the night of October 15, near Sunrise Plaza in Lalmatia. The criminals snatched away Tk 45,000 from them.

Scrutinising the CCTV footage, a team of Mohammadpur police arrested two persons – Meer Hossain (40) and Jashimuddin Jorji (35) -- in connection with the incident.

Just three weeks ago, muggers snatched the mobile of Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader when he was talking on the phone in his car in Airport area.

On Friday, Rab arrested five members of a mobile-mugging racket who were active in places stretching from Abdullahpur Bus Stand to Tongi Station Road in the capital. They were arrested from Uttara and Gazipur areas. A motorcycle, 59 mobiles and Tk 30,000 in cash were seized from them.

Rab claimed that a mobile-shop employee in the area used to collect up to 50 stolen mobiles in a day and sell those.

On Wednesday, Rab arrested 16 muggers in Dhaka.

On October 4, the law enforcers arrested 24 suspects from Shahjahanpur, Motijheel, Paltan and Jatrabari areas, who were allegedly preparing to mug people amid the blackout triggered by a national grid failure.

According to law enforcers, the areas prone to mugging are -- Dhaka City College to Mohammadpur, Dainik Bangla to Motijheel, Banani to Kuril, various roads of Dhaka University, the road from Nilkhet to Lalbagh, from Dhanmondi to Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, road in front of Sangsad Bhaban, road leading from Mirpur-1 to Mirpur-10, Zoo Road, Kachukhet area, Dayaganj intersection to Jatrabari, in front of Gulistan shrine, Farmgate to Karwan Bazar, the road from Malibagh to Moghbazar, Moghbazar railway gate to Rampura bridge, and various roads of Uttara.