People in the city have been cautioned by the law enforcers about taking any food or drink from hawkers and roadside vendors as members of Agyan (doping) or Malam (balm) gangs have become active ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, officials have said.
According to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) sources, nearly 100 people who fell victim to such doping have been admitted to the country's largest public hospital alone over the last five days since September 22.
One of them already died within few hours of his admission.
On a visit to the DMCH, a number of such victims were found lying on hospital beds at ward numbers 601, 602, 701 and 702. Identities of some of them could not be known yet because of their unconscious state.
Jahangir Alam Morol, a 45-year-old iron rod-and-cement merchant who hailed from Kapasia in Gazipur, has been lying on the bed-60 at Ward Number-702 since September 22.
Talking to the FE, his wife said her husband fell victim to doping while going to Monohordi of Narsingdi district with Tk 0.2 million by a passenger bus from his Mirpur residence on the day.
"But policemen of Madhavdi Police Camp of the same district found him in an unconscious state beside Dhaka-Sylhet Highway and rushed him to Narsingdi district general hospital before informing us," she said.
As his condition deteriorated, on-duty doctors shifted him to DMCH. "Though he regained consciousness two days back, he is too weak to speak. The criminals took away the money and other valuables from him," she added.
There are some other victims who gathered the same experiences.
Contacted, senior male staff nurse at Ward Number-702 of the hospital said around 20 such victims on an average were coming to the hospital a day--an indication that such gangs have become active ahead of the upcoming Eid fiesta.
"Md. Solaiman, a victim of doping, died here in an unconscious state on September 24," he said.
Agyan party, the organised gang of criminals, usually makes their targets unconscious by entertaining them with foods or soft drinks laced with strong doses of sedatives. Many unwary people travelling by buses, launches and trains were robbed of cash and valuables by the members of these organised gangs.
Such criminals often board the vehicles in the guise of passengers. They sit next to their targets and then start gossiping with them. Taking advantage of the instantly developed intimacy, they offer the unsuspecting passengers something to eat. After taking such food, the passengers fall unconscious.
These organised gangs cheat people not only during their journey, they fix their targets on roads, at roadside stalls, and even at crowded places also, according to Deputy Commissioner of the Detective Branch of Police Nazmul Alam.
Members of these gangs use various types of balm and rub those on the eyes of their targets at an opportune moment, making them unconscious, he said.
They also covertly keep sedatives, including chloroform in handkerchiefs. When they abruptly, but intentionally, unfold such chloroform-laced handkerchief before the passenger's nose, the victim instantly loses consciousness.
According to the DB sources, more than 20 doing gangs are operating in the capital. The vulnerable areas in the city are Gabtoli bus station, Mohakhali bus station, Sayedabad bus terminal, Kamalapur railway station, Jatrabari area, Motijheel commercial area, and areas from Gulistan to Sadarghat launch terminal.
When contacted, Joint Commissioner (crimes and operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Meer Rezaul Alam admitted the sudden rise in such criminal activities in the capital, saying that they already assigned several teams to catch such gang men.
"A section of plainclothes policemen along with those in uniform will also be positioned at the capital's cattle markets to prevent them from committing such offences as cattle traders and buyers of sacrificial animals could be their prime targets in the coming days," he said.
Major Shamim of RAB-10 unit said robbery after poisoning by such thugs became a social problem these days. Such incidents increase during the major festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha when people with cash move in large numbers.
Senior officials of the law-enforcement agencies warned the people in the capital that they should not take foodstuffs, fruits and drinks from the roadside vendors and hawkers for their safety.
jubairfe1980@gmail.com