Doping gangs and armed robbers have become active targeting cattle traders in different parts of the southwestern region of the country ahead ofEid-ul-Azha.

Doping gangs robbed around Tk 70 lakh from twelve cattle sellers using sedatives to make them unconscious in five incidents in the region during the last four days. Of the incidents, one occurred in Rajbari and another in Kushtia.

Police said four cattle traders of Meherpur were robbed of Tk 6 lakh on Saturday night while returning their homes on a night coach in Mujibnagar upazila from Dhaka after selling their cattle. They were found unconscious in their seats when the bus reached Mujibnagar on Sunday morning, police added.

The traders went to Gabtoli Bazar in Dhaka on Thursday to sell their cattle.

Bus supervisor Tushar Hossain said they found the four unconscious when the vehicle reached Kedarganj Bazar of Mujibnagar. He said they informed the matterto police who sent the victims to Mujibnagar Upazila Health Complex. Doctors at the hospital said sedatives were mixed with their food.

Fifteen cattle sellers were robbed of Tk 30 lakh and their belonging on Sunday night by a gang of around 30 masked criminals while returning homes to Phulbaria village in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia on Sunday night after selling cattle at Baniapara Bazar under Kushtia Sadar upazila. The robbery was committed in Koimara area on Bheramara-Mirpur road at about 11:30pm.

Rashiduzzaman, a cattle farmer of Chourangi under Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia, said the sellers feel insecure after they sell the cattle and get the money.

Police said incidents of doping and robbery increase ahead of any festival like Eid. The miscreants commit the crimes mostly in buses, shopping centres, launch terminals, railway stations and branches of commercial banks, police added.

Members of the gang pose as hawkers and sell food items, sugarcane juice, lemonade and coconut water mixed with sedatives, police said. Some posing as passengers offer bus passengers foods mixed with sedatives, police said, adding that the miscreants rob the passengers when they become unconscious after taking the food or juice.

Meherpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Anisur Rahman said he talked to the victims and investigation was going on if any local gangs were involved with the crimes.

All police stations and outposts have been asked to keep special vigils on cattle markets.