A brazen case of fuel theft and deception occurred in Chuadanga on Friday night, resulting in the apprehension of two individuals. The suspects, identified as 42-year-old Selim Reza and 20-year-old Shanto Rahman, both hailing from Kaliganj in Jhenaidah, were caught after a dramatic five-kilometer pursuit by local filling station staff and residents.
The incident began at the Chuadanga Filling Station around 9:48 PM, where the duo arrived on motorcycles and requested fuel worth 1,750 BDT. Using a deceptive tactic, one of the suspects sent the station attendant to the office on a pretext, allowing them to flee the scene without making payment.
Undeterred, the suspects targeted another establishment, the Highway Filling Station in the Dingedah area, at approximately 10:25 PM. They attempted to repeat the same modus operandi, taking fuel worth another 1,750 BDT. However, the owner of the first station, Taslim Arif—who also serves as the General Secretary of the District Fuel Distributors and Petrol Pump Owners Association—had already alerted the staff at the second location about the suspicious motorcyclists.
Upon realizing the suspects were attempting to flee toward Jhenaidah, the staff at the Highway Filling Station, along with local residents, initiated a chase. The pursuit lasted for five kilometers before the suspects were finally cornered and detained. The local police were immediately notified, and officers from the Chuadanga Sadar Police Station arrived to take the suspects into custody.
Inspector (Investigation) Himel Rana of the Chuadanga Sadar Police Station confirmed that a formal complaint has been filed by the station owners. Legal proceedings against the two men are currently underway. This incident has highlighted the need for enhanced security measures at local fuel stations and the effectiveness of communication networks among local business owners to prevent such fraudulent activities.
