Amid increased vigilance and special drives, muggers continue to terrorise city streets. Recent crime data shows a rise in mugging incidents.

According to police officials, they record cases of mugging incidents under the Speedy Trial Act when a person is caught red-handed or when there has been a snatching incident. When fewer than five people are alleged to have been involved in a mugging or robbery incident, the case is filed under the Penal Code. Police call these "robbery" (Dasyuta) cases.

The crime database of the Police Headquarters (PHQ) shows that a total of 159 "robbery" cases were filed across the country in December last year, up from 133 in November.

The number of these cases in 2024 increased to 1,412 from 1,227 the previous year.

Police officials believe the actual number of mugging incidents would likely be much higher since many people do not file cases, while many file general diaries citing lost items to avoid legal hassles.

Amid the rise in mugging incidents, Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam said at Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) crime review meeting on Monday that the police must make every effort to stop crimes like extortion, mugging, and murder.

Speaking at the same meeting, DMP Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali said that a zero-tolerance policy must be followed for snatchers and extortionists.

As top officials have been emphasising tough measures, an intelligence agency has recently made a report, identifying 432 mugging spots in the capital and on its outskirts.

The Daily Star obtained a copy of the report, which also found that at least 979 muggers are active in these spots, and the majority of them are wanted in criminal cases filed with different police stations.

Besides making the report, the law enforcers conducted special drives in the capital in the last four months of 2024. A total of 864 people were arrested in connection with mugging incidents during the drives, according to sources in DMP.

Of them, 23 were arrested in September, 91 in October, 148 in November, and the number jumped to 564 in December, said the DMP sources.

SOMETIMES FATAL

Despite the arrests and special measures like the making of an intelligence report to increase vigilance, people continued to lose valuables, money, and sometimes, their lives in mugging incidents.

On December 15, Mohammad Habibullah, 18, an employee of a clothing shop in Islampur, was fatally stabbed by muggers in Moghbazar.

The incident occurred around 5:45am when he was walking home upon his return from his ancestral home in Mymensingh.

Md Razu, officer-in-charge of Hatirjheel Police Station, said they were conducting drives to arrest the culprit, but could not identify anyone yet.

Police sources identified Jatrabari, Sayedabad, and Mirhazirbagh as high-risk mugging spots, where drug addict muggers often target people for their mobile phones.

For instance, on December 18, around 8:30pm, cloth trader Kamrul Hasan, 23, was fatally stabbed by muggers in Sayedabad.

Faruk Ahammad, officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station, said they arrested three suspects over the incident.

In confessional statements, the suspects admitted to stabbing Kamrul after he had refused to hand his mobile phone, Faruk said.

"We are conducting special drives in mugging hotspots. In December alone, we arrested 45 muggers. And in the first ten days of January, we have apprehended 25 more, including 10 top-listed muggers," he added.

HUNDREDS OF MUGGERS

On January 2, at around 6:00am, private company employee Kajal Ahmed, 44, and three of his relatives were returning to their Khilgaon home in an auto-rickshaw from another relative's house in Ray Shaheb Bazar.

As they reached Adarsha Lane in Khilgaon, three individuals on a motorbike stopped the auto-rickshaw and asked them to hand their mobile phones and money. When Kajal delayed handing over the items, the muggers stabbed his left thigh and fled with two mobile phones and Tk 5,000 in cash.

"We filed a case with Khilgaon Police Station after the incident, but police have yet to recover the phones and the cash, or arrest anyone," said Nazmun Nahar Tonny, Kajal's niece.

Khilgaon is under DMP's Moitijheel Division, where, along with Wari Division, at least 212 muggers are active, according to the recent intelligence report on mugging.

Some 386 muggers are active in the Mirpur and Tejgaon divisions, 217 in Ramna and Lalbagh, and 154 in Uttara and Gulshan.

According to sources in the police, those actively involved in mugging in Uttara, Abdullahpur, and Airport areas include people from Tongi and Ashulia. Locals said mugging occurs every night on the busy road from Tongi Bridge to the airport. Sometimes in broad daylight, muggers swiftly take away valuables, including mobile phones or gold earrings, from passengers of private cars and buses.

SN Md Nazrul Islam, additional commissioner (crime and operations) of DMP, confirmed that a list of mugging spots and muggers was prepared.

"We have deployed officers in uniforms and plain clothes at these spots to prevent mugging incidents. Along with this, we are conducting a drive to arrest the listed muggers," he added.

HOTSPOT MOHAMMADPUR

The list highlighted that the Mohammadpur area is the most affected by muggers.

In the areas under Mohammadpur Police Station, 205 people are actively involved in mugging, according to the list. There are multiple cases against each of them.

Mohammadpur also has the highest number of 108 mugging spots.

Mohammad Ibne Mizan, deputy commissioner of DMP's Tejgaon Division, told The Daily Star, "A huge number of homeless people live and work in Mohammadpur as the area is close to the river, and the Beribadh (dam).

"Besides, anyone can easily flee the area to Gabtoli, Old Dhaka, and Keraniganj by using the Beribadh after committing a crime.

"As a list has been prepared based on last year's crime data, police will now be able to increase vigilance and patrolling following the list, and also create awareness among people," he added.