Anti-teen gang operation detainees escape police station, chant slogans

Several teenagers detained during an anti-teenage gang operation have allegedly caused a commotion and escaped from the Daudkandi Model Police Station in Cumilla. Some of them reportedly gathered in front of the police station and chanted "bhua, bhua" ("useless, useless") slogans. Later, some of them were taken back to the police station by their guardians.

A video from inside a room at the police station has circulated on social media. It shows a plastic chair overturned in the room. The door to the room also appeared to be broken.

The police claim that no doors or furniture were vandalised at the police station. On Wednesday, police conducted raids at various hangout spots in the upazila after evening. They detained 28 individuals on suspicion of being members of teenage gangs for roaming around unnecessarily and loitering in different places after evening.

Rejuanul Haque, Sub-Inspector of Daudkandi Model Police Station, told Prothom Alo that the detained teenagers were kept in an abandoned room at the police station. He said some minor trouble occurred because 28 teenagers were kept together in one place but there was no incident of vandalising any furniture or doors. He added that the teenagers were released into the custody of their parents after they were called in at night.

Several guardians speaking on condition of anonymity, said that most of the detained teenagers have no criminal records with the police. They were simply hanging out with their classmates as usual. After learning that the teenagers had been detained, their guardians and relatives gathered in front of the police station. This led to commotion and tension there.

A local resident stated that some of the teenagers detained in a room broke a chair and the door to escape. Later, a group of these teenagers gathered in front of the police station and chanted derogatory "bhua, bhua" slogans.

At that time, Mohammad Sajedul Islam, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Daudkandi Model Police Station, attempted to calm the agitated teenagers' parents and relatives using a hand microphone. After they escaped, the parents caught several of them, brought them back to the police station and handed them over to the police. After the evening, everyone detained was released into the custody of their parents after signing a bond agreeing not to loiter in hangout spots.

When contacted multiple times via mobile phone to get his statement regarding the matter, Daudkandi Model Police Station OC Mohammad Sajedul Islam disconnected the call.

Claiming that nothing happened at the police station, Daudkandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Zakir Hossain told Prothom Alo, "It was just a misunderstanding."