A police constable is among four people arrested over the armed robbery of a motorcycle in Chattogram city, after the victim traced his stolen vehicle through an online sales advertisement, police said.
The motorcycle was recovered from a garage in the city's Pahartali area, while a departmental investigation has been launched against the accused constable.
The other arrested suspects are Wahid Mohammad Jebel Hossain, alias Anik Wahid, 39; Mohiuddin Selim, 52; and Wahed Nasir, alias Diamond, 38.
Sub-Inspector Md Nasim of Khulshi Police Station confirmed the arrests today (21 October), saying police were working to identify and arrest other members of the alleged gang and recover the private car used in the robbery.
The constable, Anik Das, 27, is attached to Rajarbagh Police Lines under the sports quota from Bandarban Police Lines.
According to the case statement, Md Apu, 22, from Companiganj upazila in Noakhali, was travelling to Cox's Bazar with friends on three motorcycles on the night of 16 October.
Around 1:30am on 17 October, when they reached the area in front of Foy's Lake Eye Hospital in Chattogram, a group travelling in a private car and on two motorcycles blocked their way.
The group allegedly seized Apu's motorcycle keys and assaulted him before forcing him into the car at gunpoint. One of the suspects then rode away on his motorcycle.
The case statement says Apu was held inside the car and driven around different parts of the city until around 3am. The suspects also took his mobile phone before leaving him beside a road in the Shershah area.
Apu initially filed a general diary with police, which was later registered as a case after Constable Anik Das was detained.
SI Nasim said Apu subsequently found an advertisement for the sale of his motorcycle on a Facebook account belonging to Anik Das and contacted the seller.
After exchanging messages through Messenger, they reportedly agreed on a price of Tk5.3 lakh. Concealing his identity, Apu sent Tk5,000 as an advance payment.
Anik then asked him to meet at a police box in front of Bayezid Link Road. Apu went there and alerted Khulshi police, who detained Anik.
Based on information provided by Anik, police arrested Wahid and Mohiuddin Selim in the BITAC Bazar area under Pahartali Police Station, SI Nasim said.
During questioning, the two allegedly told investigators that the stolen motorcycle was in the possession of Wahed Nasir, alias Diamond.
Police subsequently raided a garage in the Foilyatali Bazar area under Pahartali Police Station around 4:30am on 20 October, recovering the motorcycle and arresting Wahed Nasir.
Police said efforts were continuing to identify and arrest other alleged gang members and recover the private car used in the robbery.
Zinia Chakma, additional superintendent of police (Crime and Operations) in Bandarban, told The Business Standard that the authorities were aware of the incident and had launched a departmental investigation against Anik Das.
Khulshi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Kamruzzaman said the victim was robbed while travelling from Noakhali to Cox's Bazar.
The suspects blocked his motorcycle with a private car, seized the keys and threatened him before taking the vehicle, the OC said. They later left Apu near Bayezid Link Road.
Police immediately dispatched a mobile team after Apu reported the online advertisement, detaining Anik first and then three other suspects, while recovering the motorcycle, Kamruzzaman said.
Anik's identity as a police constable emerged after his detention, the OC added. He has been named as an accused in the case based on evidence gathered during the investigation, and the case has been sent to court.