Fraud in the identity of a journalist in Kurigram, 3 fake journalists arrested.

Saifur Rahman Shamim, Kurigram:

 The crowd arrested three people in Kurigram’s Phulbari and handed them over to the police for impersonating journalists and drug administration officials.  At that time, their two accomplices managed to escape.  The incident took place at Shimultala market in Bhangamore Union of the upazila around 8 pm last Monday.

 The arrested are Sirajul Islam (29), son of deceased Noor Mohammad of Jamuna Dalia Paschimpara village of Ulipur upazila and Kurigram district representative of Top News-24, Mithu Mia (30), son of Abdul Aziz of Maltibari Molsnapara village of the same upazila, who identified himself as drug administration officer and  Abdul Aziz Miah (35), son of Monir Uddin of Bhitarband area of ​​Nageshwari upazila and Rangpur correspondent of CNN Wold-24.

 The police and locals said that a group of five members went to Mujibur Rahman’s drug store and Anishur Rahman’s Aisha Pharmacy in Shimultala Bazar around 8 o’clock on Monday night and introduced themselves as drug administration officials and journalists.  At this time they want to see if the shop has drug license and expired drugs.  When the shopkeeper failed to show the license, they demanded 20,000 rupees from the owner of the two shops.  They threatened to sue if the demanded money was not paid.  After that, he went to Ashraful’s tea shop next door and collected five thousand taka on the pretext of unsanitary environment.  When the shopkeepers became suspicious of their incoherent conversations, the people present arrested them and informed the police.  Meanwhile, Abdus Chalam (36) son of Golzar Hossain of Sabujpara village of Kurigram Sadar Upazila and Mostmafizar Rahman Babu (28) son of Abul Kashem of Ulipur Dharanibari area managed to escape.  Later, the police of Phulbari police station went to the spot and arrested the three people who were held by the mob and brought them to the police station.

 Locals said that for some time this gang had been collecting extortion from the businessmen by pretending to be journalists, sometimes DB, sometimes police and drug administration officials.

 Phulbari police station officer-in-charge Fazlur Rahman confirmed the truth and said that after filing a case of fraud against five people, the three arrested were sent to jail in the afternoon.