People travelling through the 14 kilometre busy Kishoreganj-Bhairab highway are in panic of being mugged anytime.
It is learnt, along the 14 kilomtre Kishoreganj-Bhairab highway from Jailkahana crossing to Madhyapara of Katiadi, the incidents of mugging are rampant. Local people residing beside the highway informed, there are at least 20 spots on the highway where miscreants were engaged in rampant snatching and mugging round the clock.
Especially, the spots from Jailkhana crossing to Binnati crossing, from Binnati crossing to Chouddoshota Bazar, from Chouddoshoto Bazar to Nalanda Bazar, From Nalanda Bazar to Pulerhat Bazar and from Pulerhat Bazar to Madhyapara Bazar of Katiadi upazila are the haven for the muggers.
Some victims of mugging informed, several mugger gangs are active on the highway. Riding on the motorbikes, CNGs or autorickshaws those muggers were snatching money and valuables from the possession of the passerby even at the broad daylight. As a result, passerby remained panicky while travelling through the highway.
Bithi Akhter, Teacher of Netrokona Primary School was travelling to her parents’ house of Achmita Gangkulpara of Katiadi from Netrokona on a CNG on December-21 afternoon. On the way near Chouddoshoto area, the muggers waylaid her CNG and snatched away her Vanity Bag, Mobile Phone and cash money from her possession and at a stage of scuffling she was seriously injured by falling from the CNG.
Aklima Akher, Assistant Teacher of Moshua Primary School was returning home on a CNG driven autorickshaw when two muggers on a motorbike snatched away the bag from her possession during the end of 2022. The bag contained gold ornaments, Admit Card of her B.Ed. education amd cash Taka 10,000.
She had filed a general diary with Kishoreganj thana against the unidentified muggers. Moreover, during the one last year, more than 100 people including the teacher Aklima Begum, Sweden expatriate Saiful Islam Milton, Provati Sarker, Rukshana Akhter, Nur Jahan Begum, Shefali Akhter, Rahul lost their expensive mobile phones, money and other valuables to the muggers.
Some of the victims were also seriously injured when they fall on the road by the sudden snatching and pulling of their bags by the muggers.
Victims of the mugging informed, they did not get any result by complaining to police. Many of the victims also did not got to the police to file any GD or case.
Squadron Leader Ashraful Kabir, Company Commander of RAB-4 Kishoreganj camp informed, the incidents of mugging have increased in various places now-a-days. As a result, the vigilance of RAB has been intensified to the troubled areas.
Mostafizur Rahman, Superintendent of Police of Gazipur region asked to contact with the Officer-in-Charge of Highway Katiadi Police station from comment.
Nazrul Islam, Officer-in-charge of Katiadi Highway P.S. denied the incidents of mugging on the highway. He said police were active and regularly patrolling the area at night and such incident of mugging never happended and will not happen.