A daring robbery took place early on Saturday in Pabna when robbers placed tree trunks on the road, halting several vehicles, including buses and trucks.

The incident occurred around 1:30 am near the Chechaniya Bridge on the Pabna-Sathyia road. Saidur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sathyia Police Station, confirmed the incident.

According to police and local sources, the robbers initially stopped a cargo truck by placing tree trunks on the road near the bridge. Within moments, several other vehicles, including buses and trucks, became trapped. Around 40 to 50 robbers, armed with machetes, knives, and other homemade weapons, began looting the vehicles one by one. Some vehicles were vandalised as the robbers struggled to open the gates. During the robbery, transport workers and passengers were beaten, and their mobile phones, money, and other valuables were stolen. The chaos lasted for about an hour.

Abdus Salam, an Islamic orator whose vehicle was also targeted, shared a video on Facebook, describing the horrifying incident. He said, "A short while ago, a violent robbery took place on this road. The robbers placed tree trunks on the road and attacked the vehicles. They suddenly attacked our car, repeatedly hitting it before forcing the driver to open the gate. The robbers held knives to the driver`s throat and stomach. They did the same to others, taking everything they had. We begged them not to harm anyone, and thankfully, they didn`t hurt anyone in our car. After pleading, they returned two of my mobile phones."

Salam also mentioned that a foreign expatriate, returning home in a Hiace car, was attacked. The robbers beat several people and looted everything from the vehicle. The robbers continued to target all vehicles, vandalizing some and beating many of the passengers.

Local Union Parishad member Babu commented, "I have heard about the incident, but I don`t have all the details yet. Although the road isn`t very busy, several vehicles pass through this route on their way to Dhaka via Bera and Baghabari."

OC Saidur Rahman of Sathyia Police Station stated, "We dispatched the police immediately after receiving the report. While I cannot provide specific details, several vehicles have been robbed. If formal complaints are filed, we will investigate and take appropriate action."