Mugging rife in Tejgaon, murder in Wari

Tejgaon saw most mugging incidents in the capital, followed by Uttara and Mirpur, according to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) crime data from last year.

In 2022, around 33 snatching cases have been filed with different police stations in the Tejgaon Crime Division of DMP and 28 cases with police stations in Uttara, and 14 cases in Mirpur. 
 

A total of 103 mugging cases were recorded last year with 50 police stations across the city. 

But mugging incidents nearly doubled in 2022 as the number of cases recorded in 2021 was 62, according to the DMP data.

Police are aware of the rising trend of criminal activities in the city. On 29 January, AKM Hafiz Akhter, additional commissioner of the DMP, said the capital is not safe for commuters after midnight due to the proliferation of snatchers and muggers.

To avoid such unwanted situations, he asked city dwellers and travellers to avoid movement after midnight. 

A woman named Runu Akhter, who was recently mugged, shared his bitter and frightening experience with The Business Standard.

"It all happened so fast. I was on a rickshaw, travelling to the Agargaon Taltala area from Farmgate around 9 pm on 14 January," she said.

"My son was sitting next to me. When we reached the Agargaon intersection on Mirpur Road a private car came out of nowhere and blocked our path," Runu Akhter continued. 

"Before I could realise what was going on, someone came out of the car and snatched away my purse and fled the scene in his vehicle in no time," she said, mentioning that her purse contained Tk60,000 cash, six passports of her family members, mobile phone and other valuables.  

"When I went to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station to file a complaint, cops asked me to file a General Diary (GD) instead of filing a snatching case," Runu Akhter said, adding that it has been a week since filing the GD but she has not heard back anything from the police.

A similar snatching incident happened to Mohiuddin Samrat, a Jahangirnagar University student. He was mugged by miscreants riding a white car in front of the National Eye Institute on Shisumela-Agargaon road.

Mohammadpur has also become a hotspot for snatching and mugging crimes.

Visiting the Mohammadpur Police Station recently, TBS found at least four-five persons come to report their mugging encounters in Beribadh and Dhaka Udyan areas.

A private university student who came to the police station to file a case told TBS that the Dhaka Udyan Road is more prone to snatching.

When asked why mugging incidents are rising, Mrityunjoy Dey Sajal, additional deputy commissioner of DMP's Tejgaon Division (Mohammadpur zone), blamed people, mostly from poverty-stricken and lower-income families, who are not locals but are constantly floating from places to places.

There are too many people moving in and out of the Mohammadpur, Beribadh and Bachila areas every day for work or other purposes. Many of them engage in criminal activities. That is one of the main reasons for rampant mugging in these areas and it is hard to keep track of these people, the police official said.

The Rapid Action Battalion on 28 January arrested eight members of an Adabar-based gang called "Brave Danger Strong King" for their involvement in robbery, theft, extortion and other crimes across the capital.

What is interesting is that the then DMP's Assistant Commissioner (Mohammadpur zone) Mujib Patwary had been recognised as the best assistant commissioner of last year for nine consecutive months (January-September) for his courageous effort in curbing crime in Mohammadpur zone—comprising Mohammadpur and Adabor police stations.

But the reality of rising crimes paints a different picture. When contacted about this, Mujib Patwary refused to make any comment.

Besides, Mohammadpur and Agargaon, Tejgaon bus stand, Karwanbazar and Asad Avenue also became hotspots for snatching, according to the DMP Crime Division.

Most murders last year took place in Wari 

Around 173 people were murdered in the Dhaka metropolitan area in 2022 and the highest number of murders (36) took place just in the Wari crime division. 

When asked why is that the case, Deputy Commissioner of Wari Division Ziaul Haque Talukder told TBS gave a similar answer to the one of Mrityunjoy Dey Sajal, additional deputy commissioner of DMP's Tejgaon Division (Mohammadpur zone).

"Many poor, unemployed and drug addict youths living in Kadamtali and Shyampur areas of Wari are involved in robbing and other petty crimes. Some of them have been involved in murder too," he said.

Dr Md Omar Faruk, a professor of Criminology and the Police Science Department of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, told TBS that analysing data and case records can help prevent mugging easily.

"Police can be more vigilant at night time in patrolling the streets to reduce snatching incidents," he said. 

"Police cannot just avoid liability by blaming a group of people. If the Police want, they monitor the people moving in and out of an area. It is their duty to do so and contain crime as much as possible," the criminology professor added.