Black stone idol recovered in Joypurhat before being smuggled to India, four detained
Photo: Collected
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Special Response Battalion (SRB) have recovered a black stone idol worth Tk 72.90 lakh in Akkelpur of the district during preparations to smuggle it to India. Four members of an idol-smuggling ring have been detained in this connection.
This was disclosed in a press release signed by Lt Col Mohammad Latiful Bari, commanding officer of BGB-20 Joypurhat Battalion, this morning, Tuesday.
The release said that, acting on a tip-off, a joint patrol team of BGB and SRB conducted a raid at the house of Abdur Razzak in Biharpur village of Akkelpur late at night yesterday, Monday. In the raid, Mukul Chandra and Kamal Hossain were caught red-handed with the black stone idol.
Later, on the basis of information given by them, the joint force detained two more members of the ring, Hamidur Rahman and Zakir Hossain. In primary interrogation they admitted to being active members of an idol-smuggling gang.
The recovered black stone idol weighs 72kg 900g, with an estimated market value of Tk 72.90 lakh.
The detainees are Hamidur Rahman, 62, son of the late Siraj Sardar of Akkelpur Sadar; Zakir Hossain, 50, son of Mahatab Hossain of Anantapur village in Srirampur; Mukul Chandra Mondal, 38, son of Sri Suchin Chandra Mondal of Jalalpur village in Sonamukhi; and Kamal Hossain, 60, son of the late Aiz Uddin of Biharpur village.
Lt Col Mohammad Latiful Bari, commanding officer of Joypurhat-20 BGB Battalion, told BSS that the recovered idol and the detainees have been handed over to Akkelpur Police Station for further legal action.
