Hazrat Ali, accused in 17 cases, arrested in Itna after 16-hour police operation

Police have arrested Hazrat Ali, 35, who is accused in 17 cases including murder, robbery, theft, kidnapping and assault. He was arrested at around 2:30pm on Thursday (12 November) from an abandoned structure in Kaktengur village of Elongjuri Union in Itna upazila of Kishoreganj.

Police say Hazrat Ali is an active member of an inter-district robbery gang and had been leading multiple incidents of boat robbery, theft and robbery in the haor region.

A total of 17 cases, including murder and robbery, are filed against him at Itna and Mithamoin police stations. He was on the district police list of most wanted accused.

Hazrat Ali is the son of the late Mogol Mia of Sonapur village in Dhaki Union of Mithamoin upazila in Kishoreganj.

Itna police conducted a continuous 16-hour operation to arrest him.

Itna police station officer-in-charge (OC) Habibullah Khan said Hazrat Ali had led several robberies in the haor during the last monsoon season. Police had raided several times to arrest him, but he managed to escape each time.

The OC said that on Wednesday night, acting on a secret tip, police learned Hazrat Ali was preparing for a robbery near Chilni bridge in the upazila. When police raided there, he sensed their presence and moved to the nearby Kaktengur village and went into hiding.

Police then raided Kaktengur village throughout the night. When he was not found at night, the operation continued on Thursday daytime as well.

OC Habibullah Khan himself led the operation. Also taking part were sub-inspectors Sajib Kumar Dutta, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Md Salah Uddin and Md Samsul Alam Sabbir, and assistant sub-inspectors Alamgir Bhuiya, Mostak Hossain and Md Mehedi Hasan, along with the accompanying force.

Police said legal action is being taken against Hazrat Ali.