In a strange yet cunning new twist to street crime, a gang locally known as the ‘Salam Party’ has been carrying out a series of mugging around the Rajarbagh Police Lines area—right under the nose of law enforcement agencies.

Their technique is as deceptive as it is simple. One member of the gang first greets a target—usually someone walking on the footpath or traveling in a rickshaw—with a friendly ‘Salam’. When the unsuspecting victim looks their way, the stranger smiles and says, “Bhai, you don’t recognise me? I’m [so-and-so]!”

That is when things take a dangerous turn.

On Sunday around noon, the gang struck again.

Ridwan, a private service holder, was traveling from Fakirerpool toward Malibagh crossing via Shahjahanpur Crossing by a rickshaw.

As he passed the Police Liberation War Museum adjacent to Rajarbagh Police Lines, a man on the footpath greeted him warmly. Confused but polite, Ridwan looked over—only to find himself surrounded moments later.

Before he could react, the gang signaled the rickshaw to stop and threatened him at gunpoint. They snatched Tk 15,000 from his pocket and went on to rob a few other pedestrians nearby. Witnesses said about four to five men were involved in the swift and coordinated mugging before fleeing the scene effortlessly.

Ridwan later called the national emergency helpline 999 to report the incident. The police assured him that a patrol team would arrive at the spot.

Locals say such ‘Salam Party’ incidents have become alarmingly frequent outside the boundary wall of the Rajarbagh Police Lines, particularly besides the wall of the Liberation War Museum area. Residents have urged authorities to increase vigilance and night patrols to curb the rising menace of this deceptive greeting gang.