Staff Reporter :
A total of 49 suspected members of the Kuki-Chin National Front, also known as KNF, were arrested by the joint forces during separate drives at several places in Ruma upazila of Bandarban.
Bandarban district superintendent of police Saikat Shahin said on Monday that 49 suspected members of the KNF were arrested during drives conducted by the joint forces.
Meanwhile, the joint forces have launched a combing operation against the KNF after bank robberies and looting of weapons in the Ruma and Thanchi areas of Bandarban. Two of KNF’s active members were arrested in the operation on Monday.
Earlier on Saturday, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Cheosim Bom, the central committee chief coordinator of KNF.
Meanwhile, joint forces on Sunday night arrested three individuals from the Bom community, along with a jeep driver, in connection with the bank robberies in Bandarban’s Ruma and Thanchi during their separate comprehensive joint operations.
The joint forces have arrested a total of six people in the last 48 hours.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the information in a statement on Monday.
According to ISPR, two active KNF members were arrested in Bethelpara of Ruma upazila of Bandarban on Monday during a joint search operation.
Apart from this, seven local guns, 20 rounds of bullets, a laptop, a uniform, and boots were recovered during the operation.
However, joint forces have arrested three individuals from the Bom community, along with a jeep driver, in connection with the bank robberies in Bandarban’s Ruma and Thanchi during a separate comprehensive joint operation.
The seized Jeep was used during bank robberies on April 2 and 3.
Joint forces arrested them on Sunday night during separate operations carried out in two different locations in Bandarban, according to a press statement issued by the district police on Monday.
According to Bandarban Superintendent of Police Saikat Shaheen, “They were arrested during raids in the Reicha Checkpost area of Thanchi and Bandarban Sadar Upazila on Sunday night.”
“The detained KNF members are Vannu Nuam Bom, son of Jingchun Nung 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.”
“Bhanu Nuam Bom, son of Jingchun Nung Bom, Ward No. 6, Rowanchri UP, Rowangchari UP No. 1, Geminiu Bom, and Ame Loncheo Bom, son and daughter of Lal Moon Chom Bom, Ward No. 9, Simtangpi Ward, Sadar UP No. 3, Thanchi. The other arrested person is jeep driver Kofil Uddin, 28, the 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,” added the official.
The police, however, did not mention whether the arrested individuals were members of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).
The arrestees, however, have been referred to as “suspects involved in the Thanchi bank robbery.”
They were all arrested last night from the Raicha checkpoint area on the Bandarban-Chattogram road, and legal proceedings against them are underway.
Kofil Uddin, the arrested driver, is mentioned as the driver of the white Volvo car used in the Thanchi bank robbery.
SP Saikat Shaheen said, “Members of the joint forces conducted an operation in Thanchi and arrested three members of the KNF. One of them is directly involved in the bank robbery. A car used in the bank robbery has also been seized, along with the driver.”
He also said that four armoured vehicles (APCs) have been brought in as part of the ongoing operations in the upazilas. It will be extended, depending on the situation.
These armored vehicles will be used in Ruma-Thanchi upazila to deal with the ongoing situation, he added.
On April 3, a premeditated attack was carried out by a group of 25–30 members of an armed robbery gang on Thanchi Krishi 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 Krishi 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.
