Twenty-two teenagers left Daudkandi Model Police Station in Cumilla after breaking through the door of a room where they had been detained, triggering tension among their relatives and local residents outside the station.
Police had detained 28 teenagers in Daudkandi on suspicion of involvement in youth gangs. The incident unfolded at around 10pm on Wednesday, 23 September, when several of the teenagers reportedly broke the door and furniture inside the room before making their way out.
After leaving the room, some of the teenagers gathered in front of the police station and chanted “fake, fake”, according to the report. A video showing the commotion involving the teenagers and their guardians outside the station has subsequently circulated online.
The situation had already become tense earlier in the day. Relatives of the detained teenagers and other local residents began gathering outside the main gate of Daudkandi Model Police Station from the afternoon.
The guardians claimed that most of the teenagers had no previous criminal records with the police. Their concerns over the detention contributed to growing tension around the station, with more people arriving as the evening progressed.
Eyewitnesses said several teenagers being held in one of the station’s rooms eventually broke the room’s door and damaged chairs and tables before getting outside. A section of the group then remained near the station entrance, where the slogans were reportedly heard.
Police, however, said the teenagers had been detained during an operation targeting suspected youth gang activity. Officers involved in the operation said those taken to the station were believed to be members of such groups and were brought in for verification.
Daudkandi Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Sajedul Islam went to the scene as the situation developed. Using a loudspeaker, he addressed the crowd and attempted to calm the relatives and other people gathered outside.
The OC said the situation was not as serious as it appeared. He said 28 teenagers had been detained because they were allegedly wandering around without an apparent purpose and were considered suspicious. Their relatives subsequently arrived together, creating a crowd outside the station.
According to Sajedul Islam, 22 of the teenagers were released into the custody of their guardians at around 10.30pm. The remaining six were kept while police carried out further checks. He said appropriate action would be taken regarding them after the verification process was completed.
The incident took place as Cumilla district police were conducting a wider operation against youth gangs across the district. In a post on its official page, the district police said coordinated operations had been conducted at all 18 police stations in Cumilla.
Police said the operation was launched amid concerns over the involvement of teenagers in various criminal activities. According to the police, the participation of young people in such activities was having a negative impact on society and required continued law-enforcement attention.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Cumilla Superintendent of Police Mohammad Anisuzzaman. Senior district police officials also took part directly, according to the police statement.
The coordinated operation covered different locations in Cumilla city as well as areas under individual police stations. Police said officers focused on places where there had been complaints about groups of youths creating disturbances or causing harassment.
A total of 624 people were detained during the district-wide operation, according to Cumilla district police. Authorities said they were checking whether those detained had any previous involvement in criminal activity and that necessary legal measures would be taken after the verification process.
Police also said operations would continue to prevent members of youth gangs from becoming involved in criminal activities.
The events at Daudkandi Model Police Station have brought attention to the difficulties surrounding the detention and verification of teenagers suspected of involvement in youth gangs. While police have described the detentions as part of a wider preventive operation, relatives have questioned the basis for holding many of the teenagers and said most had no previous criminal records. The authorities’ assessment of the remaining six teenagers is expected to determine what happens next in the Daudkandi case.
