Police arrest 4 more in Bandarban bank robbery case
Police did not mention whether the arrested individuals were members of the Kuki-Chin National Front, but said they were involved in the Thanchi bank robbery
Police have arrested three individuals from the Bom community and another man who is a jeep driver in connection with the bank robberies in Bandarban's Ruma and Thanchi.
They were arrested yesterday during separate operations carried out in two different locations of Bandarban, said a press statement issued by the district police today (8 April).
The arrestees, however, have been referred to as "suspects involved in the Thanchi bank robbery."
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Among them, two were identified as active members of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF), as per an ISPR.
Seven guns, 20 rounds of bullets, a laptop, uniform and boots were recovered during the operation today, it added.
The arrestees are Vannu Nuam Bom, a resident of Ward 9 of the Sadar Union of Rowangchhari upazila, Jeminiu Bom, and Ame Lonceo Bom, both siblings, from Ward 9 of Thanchi Upazila Sadar Union.
They were all arrested last night from the Raicha checkpoint area on the Bandarban-Chattogram road, and legal proceedings against them are underway.
The other arrested person is jeep driver Kofil Uddin, 28, son of Yusuf, a resident of the T&T neighbourhood in Thanchi Sadar Union. He was arrested today from the T&T neighbourhood in Thanchi Sadar and handed over to the court.
Kofil Uddin, the arrested driver, is mentioned as the driver of the white Volvo car used in the Thanchi bank robbery in the police press statements.
On 3 April, a premeditated attack was carried out by a group of 25-30 members of an armed robbery gang on Thanchi Agriculture Bank and Sonali Bank, police said.
The robbers held everyone inside the banks at gunpoint and fled with around Tk14-15 lakh from Sonali Bank and Tk100,000 from Agriculture Bank.
They also took 10-15 mobile phones.
"They fired empty shots after robbing the banks and fled to the west of the scene, towards Shahajan Para," the press statement reads.
Later, a case was registered at Thanchi police station over the incident.
On Sunday (7 April), the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained militant outfit Kuki-Chin National Front's (KNF) 'chief coordinator' and recovered an air gun in a special operation in Bandarban.
The arrestee, Cheosim Bom, 55, is said to be one of the chief coordinators of the organisation's central committee.
"He has family ties with KNF chief Nathan Bom. He is a
fundraiser in the organisation," said Commander of RAB-15 Lt Col HM Sajjad.
Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said some members of the armed hill group Kuki-Chin National Front were arrested, and weapons were recovered by law enforcement forces in Bandarban.
In a press briefing after visiting Ruma and Thanchi upazilas of Bandarban today (7 April), he said, "Combined operation against the armed group KNF has started and two weapons have already been recovered. The operation of the joint forces will continue until the situation becomes normal."
