Rangpur: Police in separate drives arrested seven members of an auto-rickshaw theft gang, including their mastermind, and recovered three stolen auto-rickshaws from different areas of Rangpur district.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Abu Saim disclosed this at a press briefing held at his office in the city. The arrestees are identified as Hamidul Islam of the Telepara Bahar Kachhna area, Zahurul Islam of the Kobaru area, Mun Mia and Faruk Hossain of Chararhat area of Rangpur city, Sujan Mia of Uttar Harinsingha village in Gaibandha, Nur Islam of Ramakant village, and Atiar Rahman of the Rajballabh area in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur.
Police filed two separate cases against them at Kawnia and Gangachara police stations of Rangpur. The SP mentioned that a case was previously filed at Badarganj police station of Rangpur on October 15 last in connection with the theft of an auto-rickshaw.
'On Monday afternoon, with the help of information technology, police conducted a raid in the city's Cigarette Company area and arrested the main ringleader of the theft gang, Hamidul Islam,' he stated. Following the arrest, information provided by Hamidul led to the arrest of gang member Sujan Mia from the Kawnia Rail Gate area along with a stolen auto-rickshaw.
Based on further information from the two arrestees, Nur Islam and Zahurul Islam, Atiar Rahman, Mun Mia, and Faruk Hossain were arrested from different areas. 'The gang of thieves had been stealing auto-rickshaws and killing auto drivers, using narcotics and resorting to fraud in various districts, including Rangpur, for long,' added the SP.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Md Joynal Abedin and Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Sushanta Chandra Roy were present at the press conference.