Staff Reporter :Dodging the foolproof security arrangement ahead of Eid-ul Azha, the armed miscreants snatched away a cattle-laden truck at gunpoint intercepting it on Dhaka by pass road in Gazipur in the early hours of Thursday. Four cattle traders had started from Rajshahi boarding on the truck loaded with 19 oxen of local breed at about 8:30 pm on Wednesday and the destination of the truck was Noakhali. The buying price of the cattle was Tk 11 lakh. The traders planned to sell the cattle in Eid market with an additional price. According to sources, a pickup van carrying 10-12 armed miscreants intercepted the truck at Dhaka Bypass Road of Mirer Bazar under Joydevpur Sadar police station in Gazipur district at about 5:00 am yesterday. Avoiding main thoroughfare, the truck followed the route being ill advised by the driver and helper.The miscreants tied hands and legs of the four cattle traders at gunpoint and took them forcibly on the pickup van. They also took driver and helper of the truck with them and fled away for unknown destination.On the way, the snatchers abandoned the cattle traders and truck operators at Rajendrapur forest taking cash about Tk 30,000, five cellular phones and other valuables from them. Local people rescued the victims after three to four hours later. When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police [acting in-charge of SP] Md Delwar Hossain told The New Nation last night: “So far we know, the driver and helper of the truck were involved in the incident. Two members of the snatcher team contacted with the driver and helper when the cattle traders stopped the truck for dinner in front of a restaurant at Natore on Wednesday night.””We have already got enough information about the truck with stolen cattle by applying mobile technology. As per the latest report, the truck is tracked down near Naraynganj area. We have already sent two special teams. Hope, the cattle will be recovered and culprits to be nabbed.”A case was filed with the Joydevpur Sadar police station in this connection. Meanwhile, the latest incident of cattle-laden truck snatching has appeared as a direct blow to the face of security agencies while the Inspector General of Police [IGP] AKM Shahidul Hoque on September 7 ensured foolproof security centering Eid-ul-Azha. “The authorities will not tolerate any extortion from the sacrificial animals-laden trucks. Necessary directives have been issued not to intercept any trucks without any specific information,” IGP had said mentioning police personnel not to harass traders.
