A Dhaka court on Friday placed four individuals on three-day fresh remand in connection with a violent mugging incident in the capital’s Moghbazar area that drew widespread attention after CCTV footage of the attack went viral on social media.
Metropolitan Magistrate Israt Jenifar Jerin passed the order after Sub-Inspector Ibrahim Khalil, the investigating officer of the case, sought five days’ remand for the suspects.
The accused are Sohel Rana, 36; Jibon alias Hridoy, 27; Md Shamim, 24; and Makbul Hossain, 25. Police said Sohel, Hridoy and Shamim directly took part in the armed mugging, while Makbul purchased the stolen items and was involved in fencing the goods.
Officers of the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Sohel from Keraniganj and the other three from Mohammadpur on Thursday. During the raids, police recovered the stolen bag, Tk 9,600 in cash, a mobile phone, two machetes, and a motorcycle allegedly used in the crime.
According to case documents, the mugging took place at around the evening of May 18 in Greenway Lane of the Moghbazar area. CCTV footage of the incident, which surfaced on May 19, shows a young man walking with a bag slung over his shoulder when he is stopped by three men on a motorcycle.
Two of the assailants get off the bike, brandishing large machetes, and corner the victim against a building’s gate. One of them is seen striking the victim while the others forcibly snatch his bag. When the victim tries to hold on to the motorcycle in a desperate attempt to recover his belongings, he is attacked again and shoved aside. The entire episode lasted less than a minute.
The victim, later identified as Abdullah, filed a case with Hatirjheel Police Station on May 26.
DB sources confirmed that the arrested men are part of an active mugging ring operating in various parts of the city. All four suspects have previous criminal records and are wanted in multiple cases.