Locals rescue trader, hand over abductors to cops

Locals rescued an abducted trader and handed his abductors over to police at Lakmipur village in Sadar upazila of Rajbari district on Sunday evening.

Kazi Solaiman, sub-inspector (SI) of Rajbari Sadar Police Station, said one Anwar Hossain Rocky, 19, son of Kamal Hossain Sikdar of Jababpur village in Sharsha upazila of Jessore district, sold a motorbike to Kausar Sikdar, son of Khalil Sikdar, at Degree char in Rajbari Sadar upazila several months ago. Kausar owed Tk 15, 000 to Anwar.

On Saturday, Kausar called Anwar to his house to take the money. When Anwar went to Kausar's house, Kausar kept him there all night.

The next day, Kausar took Anwar to adjacent Lakhmipur village and handed him over to a gang, who confined Anwar to a house owned by one Hakim Sheikh.

The gang, led by one Faridul Islam, demanded Tk 3 lakh as ransom from Anwar's family, and beat him up.  

Hearing Anwar's screams, locals went to the house, surrounded the gang and informed the police.

A team from Rajbari Sadar Police Station went to the spot and rescued Anwar at around 5:00pm on Sunday. They arrested four members of the gang.

They arrestees are Faridul Islam, son of Sattar Sheikh, Sagar Bepari, son of Asgar Ali Bepari, Sujon Sheikh, son of Yar Ali Sheikh and Billal Matbor, son of Moniruzzaman Matbor.

Police seized two swords from the gang members.

On Saturday, locals foiled a bid to abduct a schoolgirl and caught one of the three abductors at Maderipur village under Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, reports our correspondent.

The gang forced the girl into a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and went to Maderipur village in Pirganj upazila.

As locals came to know about the incident, they caught Faruk Mia and rescued the girl. The rest two managed to flee the scene. The villagers later handed over Faruk and the victim to the police.