Three killed in three years by Tongi teen gangs
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested 12 members of a criminal gang named “D-company” from Gazipur’s Tongi area. The other members of the gang have been on the run since then.
Three people lost their lives at the hands of these criminal gangs in the last three years.
These reckless activities of a certain group of teenagers in the name of gang culture have been going on for some years now.
Initially, they used to hold parties and hangout. They were initially involved in offences such as teasing girls, but later got involved in all sorts of criminal activities including mugging, extortion and drug peddling.
Prothom Alo has found the existence of around 30 such criminal gangs. Members of these criminal gangs were involved in crimes such as intimidation, beating up people, harassment and drug peddling.
On the evening of 17 November, 2018, a group of 20 to 25 teenagers marched with knives and other local sharp weapons in the Mirashpara area in Tongi. On the same day, they stabbed a man named Habibur Rahman to death.
Later on 7 July, 2019, ninth grader Md Shuvo, 15, was stabbed to death by a teen gang in the Pagarh Fakir Market area. Then on 15 September last year, a garments worker named Milon was killed in the same way by another teen gang. Lately, on 1 June, a university student was beaten up over minor issues in a fuchka (street food) shop by the members of “D-company”.
After this incident, RAB arrested 12 members of this notorious gang on Saturday.
Two brothers returning from London, Rajib Chowdhury Bappi alias “London Bappi” and Sajib Chowdhury alias Pappu, formed this criminal gang a few years ago. Sajib Chowdhury has been in jail for several months.
RAB has filed a case with the East Tongi police station against Rajib and his 11 associates under The Arms Act. According to the case statement, several local weapons as well as two automated guns, four rounds of bullet and two magazines were recovered from Rajib’s house.
In the primary interrogation, the accused have said they formed this gang to establish a reign of terror in the areas under East Tongi police station.
Md Javed Masud, officer-in-charge (OC) of the East Tongi police station, said the court has granted a three-day remand for Rajib and one day remand for each of his 11 associates for interrogation.
Locals said the members of teen gangs were active in various areas of Nadibandar, Bow Bazar, Mirashpara and Bhuiyapara. However, since the arrest of the members of D-company, the other members never showed up in the area.
Md Iltut Mish, deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP), said every one affiliated with the teen gangs would be brought to book.