Thirty rounds of shotgun ammunition and personal belongings were stolen from a police guard post at the Mahadev Ashram and Kali Temple in Nimtali, Badda, triggering the immediate withdrawal of Badda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Saiful Islam and eight other officers for gross negligence.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) sources said the incident took place between 4:30 am and 5:30 am on Tuesday, when four police personnel and three Ansar members were asleep in a makeshift room on the second floor of an under-construction building within the temple compound.
Thieves broke in and fled with four bags, two wallets, and three mobile phones.
One of the bags contained 30 live shotgun cartridges.
The stolen items, including the shotgun shots, were later recovered intact at 9:45 am from a wasteland near the temple pavilion. Three individuals were detained for questioning.
Confirming the disciplinary action, DMP Gulshan Division Deputy Commissioner Md Tarek Mahmud said OC Saiful Islam, Sub-Inspector Mobashir, one Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), and five constables had been withdrawn.
“The fact that the stolen goods and bullets were recovered does not absolve them of responsibility,” he said. “This is a clear case of dereliction of duty at a sensitive religious site.”
The move highlights increasing scrutiny over security failures in the capital, particularly at high-profile locations. An internal probe has been launched to determine how armed personnel were left vulnerable during active duty.