Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Robbery panic has been prevailing across the Cumilla city.

The violence of robbers has increased in Cumilla . During the day or in the dark of night; in public or in some silence, members of the robber gang are looting everything from pedestrians at gunpoint.

Most of the time, the victims of robbery do not complain to the police station. However, there are not many examples of getting the goods back.

On the other hand, the police say that the violence of robbers has increased a lot in recent times. The operation to catch them is already underway. Several people have also been arrested. It has been found that the members of the gang are carrying out robbery activities in front of the town hall in the Kandirpar area of Cumilla city, Liberty intersection, Pubali Chattar, Ranir Dighir Par, Mohila College Road, Chawkbazar Shapla Market, Telikona Chowmuhani, Govinda Kupur Par, Dakshin Chartha, Ranir Bazar, Thakurpara, Racecourse Dhanmondi Road area, some areas from Tomson Bridge to Bakhrabad Road, Kaliajuri Pakkar Matha, Sangraish Kalibari intersection, Tikkarchar, Talkupur Par, Shasngacha and at least half a dozen other places in the surrounding areas. Robberies occur somewhere or the other in these places every day.

Most of these robbers hang out in the town hall and its adjacent areas.

Whenever they get a chance, they snatch money, jewelry, mobile phones and other valuables from passersby. The victims of the robbery have snatched everything from them by snatching them with various types of weapons. After being robbed, they do not dare to say anything in the face of the gun. If they do not want to give anything, they are beaten with weapons. So, helpless, they have to give everything.

Last Wednesday night, Azad Hossain, an official of a company in the Cumilla EPZ, was caught by robbers in the Rani Dighi Par area of Cumilla city. He said that he was going home by riding a rickshaw through the Rani Dighi Par around 10 pm after withdrawing his salary from the bank. After a while, three robbers came and stopped the rickshaw. Two of them were armed with country-made weapons and one was holding a pistol to his head and snatched 40,000 taka.

A few days ago, a robber was beaten up by a mob while trying to steal money from a female pedestrian's bag in the Kandirpar area. He was later handed over to the police.

On Monday night, the mob arrested two robbers with weapons from the Pubali Chatar area and thrashed them. Earlier, in December last year, a journalist from Nangalkot named Imran Hossain Sohan lost his mobile phone after being robbed in the Kandirpar area. Although the matter was immediately reported to the police, his mobile phone could not be recovered.

Later, he filed a general diary at the Kotwali Model Police Station. In all, at least a few hundred robberies have occurred in Cumilla city in the last two months. Although no complaint has been filed with the police station in most of these incidents. Although the police say that even if they do not receive a complaint, the police are conducting regular operations to catch the robbers.

Admitting that the violence of robbers has increased in Cumilla in recent times, Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station Investigation Officer Shiben Biswas said, "The violence of robbers in Cumilla city has increased several times in the past few days. They always have small weapons with them. There is a fear of getting injured if someone tries to catch them. Most of the time, these robbers are intoxicated.

They are quite violent when intoxicated. They become reckless as soon as the night falls. However, our operation is continuing. As part of that operation, 7 robbers were arrested in the Cumilla Town Hall area on Thursday morning. They were sent to jail through the court on the same day.

When asked about this, Cumilla Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazir Ahmed Khan said, "The police are always trying to ensure the safety of the people. For this, the police patrol and patrol team have been increased." Police teams from police stations, outposts and DB are also working to ensure that the general public does not fall prey to robberies in the city.

Police patrols have been intensified at important spots in the city, especially since evening. Even then, everyone must be vigilant. Those who rob may have small weapons. If we receive information about any such incident, we will take immediate action.