An armed group allegedly raided the home of a union parishad member in Chattogram’s Patiya early on Thursday, taking cash and gold jewellery after assaulting a 78-year-old retired police officer who lived next door.
The incident took place at around 1am in Chakrashala village of Kachuai Union in Patiya upazila. The injured man, Babul Bhattacharjee, is a former sub-inspector of Bangladesh Police and the uncle of union parishad member Probir Bhattacharjee, whose house was targeted.
According to the victims, no members of Probir’s immediate family were at home when the incident occurred. His daughter had recently undergone childbirth and the family was staying at a clinic in Chattogram city.
Babul, however, was staying in a room beside Probir’s house. He reportedly noticed a group of seven to eight masked men attempting to break into the property. The men allegedly confronted him, held him at gunpoint and took him into Probir’s house.
The attackers then tied Babul’s hands and legs with rope and beat him with an iron rod, according to the family. They subsequently broke open a cupboard inside the house and took cash and jewellery before leaving the area.
Probir Bhattacharjee said the robbers took around Tk750,000 in cash and six bhori of gold jewellery. Of the cash, Tk400,000 had been withdrawn from a bank only two days earlier for the purchase of land. The remaining money had already been kept at the house.
The reported loss therefore included both recently withdrawn funds and valuables that had been stored at the property. The family said the money was taken after the intruders forced their way through the locked door.
Speaking about the assault, Babul Bhattacharjee said he had gone outside after hearing activity at night and found seven to eight armed men in the courtyard. Before he could understand what was happening, they allegedly took him hostage and began beating him.
He said the attackers were wearing masks and that the assault left swelling and injuries to his head and other parts of his body. He was released after the group completed the raid.
Babul was taken to Patiya Upazila Health Complex in the early hours of Thursday for medical treatment. Sama Binte Shafiul, a doctor at the emergency department, said he had visible signs of injury to his head. No other serious injuries were detected, and he was given initial treatment before being discharged.
The incident has raised questions about the security of homes in the area, particularly when residents are away for extended periods. In this case, the family’s absence was linked to the medical needs of Probir’s daughter, while Babul remained at the adjoining property.
Police visited the scene after being informed of the incident. Patiya police station officer-in-charge Ziaul Haque said the initial assessment suggested that the incident could be a case of theft, while the circumstances were still being investigated.
Police are expected to examine the condition of the damaged locks and doors, the circumstances surrounding the entry into the house and the sequence of events leading to the reported loss of cash and jewellery. The identity of those involved and whether the incident was pre-planned had not been established at the time of reporting.
No arrests or recoveries were reported in connection with the incident at the time of the initial police investigation.
