13 snatchers, including a woman and two juveniles, arrested in 24-hour Mohammadpur drive; weapons and phones seized

Police have arrested 13 snatchers — including women, men and juveniles — in a special 24-hour drive in the capital's Mohammadpur area. Various locally made weapons used in snatching and four snatched mobile phones were recovered from them.

Mohammadpur Police Station's officer-in-charge (OC) Abdul Halim confirmed the matter on Friday night (October 23), saying the 13 were arrested during a 24-hour special operation across the Mohammadpur area.

Three switch-gear knives, two sharp knives, four rods and one saw blade knife were recovered from those arrested. Police say the weapons were used to intimidate victims during snatchings.

Among those arrested are two juveniles and one woman. The use of women and juveniles in such gangs has raised fresh concern about safety in the area.

OC Abdul Halim added that Hasnain Hasan is particularly notable among those arrested: he faces at least six snatching cases at Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police stations.

According to police, members of the gang mainly targeted pedestrians, bus passengers and rickshaw riders. Relatives of patients coming to hospitals for treatment were not spared either.

The gang used two methods: sometimes threatening victims with weapons to seize valuables, and sometimes exploiting women's moments of inattention to take mobile phones, cash and other valuables from their bags.

The four recovered mobile phones are believed to belong to snatching victims, and officials say they will be returned to their rightful owners after proper verification.

Regular cases are being filed against those arrested and proceedings are under way to send them to court, where the next decisions in their cases will be made.

The officer-in-charge said police drives to prevent snatching in the Mohammadpur area are continuing, and that such special operations will be carried out regularly to ensure residents' safety.

Snatching has long been a problem in the capital's densely populated neighbourhoods, and those concerned see the Mohammadpur operation as a significant step for law and order amid public anxiety over the safety of pedestrians and passengers.

Residents, however, hope the effort will not end with a single day's drive, believing that only sustained patrols and surveillance will curb the gangs — an assurance police say they intend to keep.