Missing Chandpur gold trader, family found hiding in Chattogram

A gold trader from Chandpur who went missing with three family members has been found hiding in Chattogram's Patiya, police said Friday (August 28).

Pintu Das, owner of SK Shilpalay in Chandpur town, and the three of his family members were found around 5am in his native area of Patiya during an operation by a special team of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station.

Sub-Inspector Kalam Gazi, who led the operation, confirmed the development.

Police said Pintu and his family had gone into hiding after allegedly failing to repay money taken from customers against gold pledged with his business.

The four had been reported missing in a media report published on August 26. Following the report, police spoke to people living near Pintu's residence and business and learned that financial disputes over pledged gold may have prompted the family to leave their home.

The disappearance had also raised concern among law enforcement agencies in Chandpur following the recent killing of four members of a family in Rangpur and reports that four people from Chandpur had gone missing.

The district Detective Branch and Sadar Model Police Station subsequently began searching for Pintu and his family. After two days of investigation using information technology, police traced their location to Patiya.

Several people have reportedly lodged complaints with Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station alleging that they were unable to recover gold pledged with Pintu's business.

Pintu had been living in a rented apartment at Sour Villa on Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury Road in Chandpur town. On August 22, Russell Khan, son of the landlord, filed a general diary with the police station regarding the matter.

Foyez Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Model Police Station, said, "The four were being brought back to Chandpur."

Police said details about why the family went into hiding and the allegations involving pledged gold would become clear after the necessary legal procedures and questioning are completed.