Six Women Detained Over Theft Allegations at Meherpur General Hospital
Six women were taken into custody on Tuesday after being accused of pickpocketing at Meherpur General Hospital, a facility that has been plagued by a surge in thefts since the opening of its new eight-story wing earlier this month.
The suspects, all identified as residents of Jamalpur district who were currently renting a home in Amjhupi village, were apprehended by hospital security staff and patients' relatives following a confrontation inside the building. Authorities noted that the hospital had seen a spike in reported thefts involving mobile phones and cash, with the majority of incidents occurring within the facility's elevators.
The disruption began Tuesday morning when a resident of Meherpur municipality, who was visiting his hospitalized wife, discovered that his daughter’s gold bracelet had been stolen while they were traveling to the fifth-floor maternity ward. The news of the theft prompted a heightened security response from the on-duty Ansar members.
Shortly thereafter, a patient named Zahidur Rahman caught a woman in the act of lifting money from his pocket while he was in a crowded area on the ground floor. Rahman’s public alert drew the attention of nearby guards and family members of patients, who detained the woman. Five other women who attempted to intervene and facilitate the suspect's escape were subsequently apprehended as well.
Hospital Superintendent Sajjad Hassan confirmed that security personnel had been on high alert following repeated complaints from patients and their families. He stated that the Ansar team has been instructed to remain vigilant in monitoring the premises to prevent further criminal activity.
The six suspects are currently being held in police custody at the Meherpur Sadar police station. Officer-in-Charge Humayun Kabir confirmed that legal proceedings are underway to formally charge the women.
