Firearms and Stun Device Seized as Bogura Gang Base Dismantled

BOGURA — Police detectives in Bogura have dismantled a covert criminal stronghold on the secluded banks of the Karatoya River, apprehending three core operatives of a feared local syndicate during an early-morning tactical raid.

The special operation, spearheaded by the District Intelligence Branch (DB), targeted a heavily concealed encampment situated near the paper mill precinct in the Thengamara region of Bogura Sadar Upazila. Among those taken into custody were the primary ringleaders of the “Roki-Rakib” gang, which had been using the dense riverine foliage as a launching pad for illicit activities spanning extortion, violent abductions, and narcotics trafficking.

High-Voltage Equipment Used to Extort Victims

The police intervention brought to light the elaborate measures taken by the criminal faction to establish an off-grid operational base. Utilising makeshift structures constructed from plastic sheets and canvas tents, the group sought shelter in the thickets along the Karatoya River to circumvent law enforcement surveillance.

During the search of the camp, officers recovered an arsenal of contraband, including a foreign-manufactured revolver, three Chinese axes, a heavy cleaver, and various traditional sharp weapons. In addition to a considerable consignment of narcotics and cash suspected to be the proceeds of drug sales, detectives seized a 25,000-volt electric stun device. DB officials highlighted that this device served as a primary tool of torture, used systematically to coerce abducted victims and extract substantial ransom demands from their families.

Riverine Escape and Ongoing Pursuit

The intelligence-led strike was coordinated under the direct supervision of Superintendent of Police Mirza Sayem Mahmud. Upon detecting the approach of the police contingent, five to seven syndicate members plunged into the Karatoya River, swimming across to the opposite bank to evade capture. However, forces successfully secured the perimeter to apprehend the primary targets, identified as Roki and his chief associate Rakib, along with a third accomplice.

Inspector Iqbal Bahar, Officer-in-Charge of the Bogura DB Police, noted that both key figures possess lengthy criminal histories, with multiple pending cases involving firearms, illegal possession of Phensedyl, and drug trafficking. Having previously been released on bail, the individuals intentionally migrated their operations to the inhospitable riverbank to rebuild their network outside urban police jurisdictions.

A comprehensive manhunt remains active across Bogura Sadar and adjacent border districts to locate the fleeing suspects, while formal charges regarding firearms, narcotics, and organized crime are being finalized.