Tranquiliser used by snatchers identified
A team of Bangladeshi physicians and researchers have identified a medicine that is used by a section of snatchers during their criminal activities.
These snatchers, popularly called Aggyan (unconscious) Party members, use a kind of tranquiliser to make people unconscious fast in bus, train and other types of transport to rob them.
The researchers said a small amount of this ‘poison’, if a person somehow consumes, can induce deep sleep quite fast for a brief period of time.
The snatchers use this substance in food items that are offered to commuters, making them easy victims of robbing.
The researchers have found that the poison has no immediate side effect but it can ultimately cause serious damage to kidney and liver patients.
The findings were made available in an article titled “Toxicological Screening of Drug Facilitated Crime among Travelers in Dhaka, Bangladesh”, published in the latest issue of ‘Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology (APJMT)’. It is based on the victims’ blood and urine analysis.
“We often read news items about people being robbed off after they were made unconscious for a short while in train, bus and launch. But we had no clear conception about the poison being used on them,”said Mohammad Abul Faiz, a co-author of the article and former principal of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
"One of the objectives of this study was to identify the type of poison used, its chemical compound and effect on the people," he added.
The article said that the criminals trick their prospective victims into accepting an invitation to tea, coffee, biscuit, green coconut juice, other cold juices and drinks, fruits, betel nut, popcorn, etc., during travel to apply these drugs.
“Generally, these criminals follow the commuters, chatting friendly with them and lastly offering some food or beverage. Another frequently used method involves advertising and offering at low cost some traditional medicine against skin diseases, asthma, arthritis, etc,” it added.
According to officials of the directorate general of drug administration (DGDA), 10 different pharmaceutical companies produce this type of medicines in the country.
The officials and the researchers said physicians prescribe these medicines for the patients suffering from mental illness but anyone can get those as no prescription is required to buy such medicines.
DMCH principal Khan Abul Kalam Azad advised the people to be aware of the dangers and avoid taking foods and drinks offered by strangers.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) deputy commissioner Masudur Rahman said, “The aggyan party men take the chance of buying these [tranquilising] medicines as these can be bought without prescriptions.”
“In this case, nothing but awareness can save people,” he added.
* This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza.