Mugger leads mob attack on commuter in Gulshan

Jewel Rana led a mob to assault a man, an official in the private sector, and vandalised his car in the capital's Gulshan area on Thursday. After images of the 31-year-old spread on social media, a young woman identified him as a mugger and confirmed that he had robbed her about two weeks ago.

The police arrested Jewel Rana around 9:00 pm after a case was filed over the incident on Friday, according to Mahmudur Rahman, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Gulshan police station.

The attack took place in the afternoon when the victim -- Mahbub Alam, a senior official of a leading industrial group -- was driving from Gulshan-1 to Gulshan-2. According to Mahbub, a pedestrian, who was later identified as Jewel, suddenly stepped in front of his car, violating traffic signals.

“I honked and braked, but he banged on the bonnet and started shouting that Gulshan was his area and he could cross whenever he wanted,” Mahbub told Prothom Alo.

The situation escalated when Mahbub stepped out of his car and called a traffic police sergeant. Jewel grabbed him by the collar and accused him of trying to run him over.

In a Facebook post, Mahbub stated that the traffic sergeant appeared helpless due to Jewel’s aggressive behavior. The police instructed Mahbub to park his car, but as he attempted to do so, Jewel punched him, causing his nose and mouth to bleed.

As Mahbub tried to leave the area, Jewel pursued him and again jumped onto his car at the Gulshan-2 traffic signal, shouting that Mahbub had attempted to kill him and had fled from the police at Gulshan-1.

According to Mahbub, he drove to the entrance of the police's diplomatic security division on Road 52, but Jewel followed him there too and incited a mob. Along with others, he tried to force open the car door and smashed a window with a brick.

Mahbub and his colleagues got out of the car and tried to convince the mob that Jewel had attacked him and vandalised his vehicle. Some of them eventually agreed to take Jewel to Gulshan police station.

At the police station, Jewel was taken to a police inspector, who later asked Mahbub to write a complaint. However, Jewel continued his aggressive behaviour at the police station too.

When Mahbub attempted to file a case, the inspector asked him to bring a medical certificate from a hospital first. After receiving treatment at a hospital, Mahbub returned to the police station around 10:00 pm but learned that Jewel had left the station after filing a complaint against him.

When Mahbub raised the issue with the OC, a policeman identified Jewel from a photograph, saying that he is a drug addict and a mugger. He also mentioned that Jewel is part of a gang of 15 to 20 people, and his detention may help reach the gang. The OC later instructed the duty officer to register a case against Jewel.

Meanwhile, a video of the incident went viral on social media. A woman posted that Jewel, along with two others, had robbed her at knifepoint near Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park on 23 February. He not only took her belongings but also robbed and assaulted the ride-sharing driver she was with.

She later came forward to file a case against Jewel as well.