Police have taken three men into custody in Chhagalnaiya, Feni, after they allegedly posed as police officers, searched citizens’ mobile phones, and attempted to extort money from residents.
The incident unfolded on Saturday night (5 September) in the village of Uttar Jashpur, located within the Mahamaya Union of the upazila. The detainees have been identified as Imam Hossain, 28, son of the late Rahim Ullah from Bashpara village; Najmul Haq Munna, 38, son of Kabir Ahammad from the same area; and Rajib Hossain, 36, son of Firoz Ahmed from Dakshin Jashpur village.
Local residents reported that the trio entered the village late in the evening, claiming to be police officers conducting an official inquiry. They began stopping villagers, demanding access to their personal mobile phones and inspecting private data under the guise of an inspection. The aggressive conduct and lack of official credentials quickly raised suspicion among the onlookers. As the confrontation grew tense, the villagers pinned down the three men and assaulted them before contacting the authorities.
A police team from the Chhagalnaiya Police Station arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the call, rescuing the suspects from the crowd and bringing them into custody. Police records indicate that two of the men are habitual offenders. Imam Hossain currently faces two criminal cases at the local station, whilst Najmul Haq Munna has eight pending cases lodged against him. No immediate record of prior cases was reported for Rajib Hossain.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chhagalnaiya Police Station, Abu Taher, confirmed the detentions and noted that the suspects used their fake authority to intimidate locals and demand substantial sums of money. He confirmed that formal legal charges are being prepared against all three men.
Police investigations are currently under way to determine whether the group operated elsewhere using similar tactics, or if additional accomplices were involved in the scheme. Impersonation of police personnel poses serious security concerns, as illegal searches of personal digital devices violate fundamental privacy rights. Authorities have advised the public to immediately contact local police stations rather than taking the law into their own hands when encountering suspicious individuals claiming to be officers.
