Karnaphuli Express robbed in Tongi, nine arrested

Karnaphuli Express robbed in Tongi, nine arrested

Robbers boarded the Dhaka-bound Karnaphuli Express train when it was stopped near Gazipur's Tongi last night and robbed its passengers.

Nine people were arrested with sharp weapons and mobile phones in connection with the robbery, Ferdaus Ahmed Biswas, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhaka Railway Police Station.

The robbers also stabbed a person inside the train, leaving the victim injured, said OC Ferdaus.

Tongi Police Station OC Ashraful Islam said the arrests were made during an overnight drive and they recovered the looted materials from the arrestees.

However, the police official did not disclose which type of materials they recovered.

According to locals and witnesses, the robbery took place around 11:00pm when the train, coming from Chattogram, was waiting to enter at the outer signal of the Tongi Junction Railway Station.

Witnesses said the passengers hurriedly closed windows and the entrances of the train when the robbers hurled brick chunks at the stopped train.

Many passengers started ran around in panic inside the carriages, causing several to suffer injuries, witnesses said.

Tongi Railway Junction In-charge and Station Master Tauhidul Islam said they heard about the incident.

Chhoton Sharma, Tongi Railway Police Outpost In-charge, said police went to the spot after receiving a 999 call.