OC withdrawn in Gazipur over allegation of selling seized horses

The Officer-in-Charge of Kaliakair Police Station in Gazipur has been withdrawn following allegations of secretly selling seized horses.

Superintendent of Police Md Sharif Uddin confirmed the matter on Thursday afternoon, April 2.

According to local sources, nine horses were recovered on March 17 from a jungle in Khalishajani area of Kaliakair while they were being prepared for slaughter. The horses were kept in police custody. One of them later died of illness.

Allegations surfaced that OC Khondakar Nasir Uddin secretly sold the remaining eight horses to an individual in the early hours of Sunday. When the matter came to light on Monday, authorities took swift action. The horses were brought back and sold through a public auction under the supervision of the upazila administration.

Upazila Executive Officer A H M Fakhrul Hossain said the horses were sold through proper auction procedures to resolve the confusion caused by the earlier incident.

Denying the allegation, the withdrawn OC claimed the horses were not sold but temporarily placed under someone's supervision. He said they were later returned to the police station and sold through a proper auction.