Cumilla Correspondent //

Following the murder of Ishayat Shahriar Oprotim in Cumilla, another 254 individuals have been detained during an anti-juvenile gang drive. Of these, police have formally arrested 108 in connection with various cases. The arrested individuals were sent to jail via the court on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the remaining 146 were released after signing a bond.

Lutfur Rahman, an official from the district police media cell and Additional Superintendent of Police, stated that simultaneous raids were conducted across 18 police stations as part of a routine anti-juvenile gang operation. Operations targeted specific locations—both within the city and in other station areas—known for the nuisance caused by wayward youths and the activities of juvenile gangs. A total of 254 people were detained during the drive on Saturday night; 108 of them were formally arrested in various cases.

Touhidul Anwar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Model Police Station, said that 37 individuals were detained during the anti-juvenile gang drive in the Sadar police station area on Saturday night. Five of them were formally arrested and sent to court. Among the arrested is Anisur Rahman Anik, a juvenile gang leader who, as the second-in-command, controlled Ratan’s entire gang. He faces multiple allegations, including a murder charge.

Earlier, on the night of September 23, 624 people were detained in Cumilla during a similar anti-juvenile gang drive. Of those, 451 were released into the custody of their guardians upon signing a bond, while the remaining 173 were formally arrested in connection with various cases and sent to court.

It is worth noting that law enforcement agencies took decisive action following the murder of 13-year-old Oprotim—son of Nahida Begum, an Associate Professor in the Bangla Department at Comilla University (CoU), and businessman KM Firoz Shahriar—on September 18. Teachers and students at the university strongly demanded action against juvenile gangs through various programs. Consequently, the police launched an anti-juvenile gang drive across the district starting September 23.

Share your opinion.