Dealing with ‘Agyan’ and ‘Malam’ parties

Hundreds of people, reportedly, have already fallen victim to what is known as 'agyan party' or 'malam party'. Understandably, the rationale behind naming them so is the substance they use in order to leave their targeted persons temporarily unconscious by applying either chloroform or other substance such as ointment with anaesthetic properties or burning sensation. Gangs are on the prowl particularly during the pre-festival period.
Now that the two of the biggest festivals of the Hindus and the Muslims follow one another with perhaps just a day's gap, the agyan and malam parties are out to make the most of the big time. The other day a student in pursuit of higher education coming from Comilla to the residence of his elder brother in the capital fell victim to one such gang in the bus he was travelling. The death of the student in such a bizarre manner is simply unacceptable. Like the ill-fated student, many embrace the same fate when they are applied substances like chloroform or ointment.
This is a vicious ring that has perfected a most cruel art for looting unsuspecting people mostly on their long journey. Sometimes, a gang boards an inter-city or a city bus to squeeze their target in between so that the satanic characters can clinically operate to rob the person of money or other valuables. The sedative they use is powerful and they are liberal in its use. After all, they could not care less if their victim died or not. They have no compulsion to be prudent in the application of substances with tranquillising effects because their sole purpose is to rob of their victims.
Now the authorities have reportedly put in place close-circuit cameras and even more powerful devices which will monitor any disorder or acts of indiscretion on the highways and send it instantly to the screen of cell phones of the officers in charge. This is meant to reduce the tailbacks on roads and highways during the journey on the occasion of the festivals. Also, they would like to keep a tab on toll collection from cattle traders at different spots.
If they can streamline traffic on the highway courtesy of the modern gadgets, there is no reason why the law enforcement agencies cannot take care of the goons on the prowl for mugging or robbing. A few months back, a gang of malam party was arrested from the capital. There is reason to believe that the gangs do not maintain liaison between and among themselves. If one gang can be arrested, interrogation should lead to clues to their den or arrest of several others if not all.
What is so revolting is the fact that the members of the gangs arrested receive light punishment and are freed after short terms of imprisonment. That they might have killed people during their devilish operation is not taken into consideration. Perhaps for the lack of evidence the murder charge is not pressed or proved. But most likely some of the arrested members of the malam or agyan parties were directly involved in such homicides.
Even rickshaw-pullers are not spared. In one such incident, ointment was applied to one such puller's eyes and his rickshaw was taken away. The fiendish elements are too crafty and cruel to show mercy on anyone. It is this mercilessness of their operation that calls for stringent punishment. The existing provisions of law certainly need to be reviewed in order to mete out punishment that would act as a deterrent to such acts. Mugging and robbing form a part of their crime, the other part involves plain murder of their victims. If allowed to go unpunished with equally severe punishment, they will cause enough social disruption. Others will follow suit and end up making people's movement or journey perilous. After all, economy gains through people's movement.
It is time that people's journeys were made safe and sound. People move because they have business at hand. Remember the close shave for an entire team of traders whose lives were spared when the helper of an AC bus steered out of danger following firing by robbers in which the driver received bullet injury and lost consciousness near Comilla. No matter whether on the journey for business purpose or carrying money or valuables, any such movement has to be safe in the interest of business and economy.