2 ex-cops held while extorting money in Sirajganj

Police held two ex-cops in Talgachhi Bazar under Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj district on Saturday while trying to collect illegal toll from traders. The arrested are: Abdul Hye Sarker, 68, former sub-inspector (SI) of the district Special Branch and its assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Ainul Haque, 46. Police and locals said Abdul Hye and Ainul went to the Talgachhi Bazar in the afternoon, identified themselves as Special Branch inspector and demanded Tk 20,000 from different traders, including oil trader Matiur Rahman, former UP chairman Abdul Jabbar, bringing the charges of business irregularities against them. Later, local people challenged the two as their movement seemed to be suspicious and beat up them with sticks indiscriminately. On information, a police team rushed in arrested the duo. Contacted, officer-in-charge of Shahjadpur Police Station Hasan Shamim Iqbal confirmed the incident and said Abdul Hye retired two years from police back while Ainul was suspended on charge of selling bullets, according to UNB.