Police have carried out a special drive in Pabna’s Ishwardi and Natore’s Naldanga and Singra upazilas following clashes between BNP and Jamaat activists in Ishwardi on Friday night.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Rajshahi Range) Mohammad Shahjahan yesterday said a total of 72 people were arrested under the ongoing “Operation First Light”, launched on 9 November across the Rajshahi range to curb crime.
In the third phase of the operation, those arrested include two members of a radical leftist outfit, a suspected bandit, 20 regular criminal suspects including associates of armed gangs, four accused in narcotics cases, 23 persons with arrest warrants, and 22 alleged fascists or suspects.
Police seized a foreign-made firearm, three locally made weapons, 1.1 kg of cannabis and seven mobile phones.
DIG Shahjahan said the crackdown is aimed at deterring hired criminals and ensuring a peaceful election environment. Senior range officers, district police, APBn and reserve forces took part in the drive.
