Anti Terrorism Unit rescues abducted victim from South Banasree, 5 held

The Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) has rescued an abducted person and arrested five alleged kidnappers conducting a drive at a flat of South Banasree Kazibari T&T Tower area in the city.  

Six mobile phones, cash, sticks, hammers and ropes used in kidnapping were recovered from the possessions of the arrestees during the operation. 

The arrested alleged kidnappers were identified as Bilkis aka Tanya, 30, Md Biplab, 30, Ibrahim Hossain Raju, 29, Lincoln Khalifa, 24, and Amir Sheikh, 30. 

Md Sanwar Hossain, Superintendent of Police (Operations) of the ATP headquarters, said a male teacher of Bangladesh Open University was introduced to Bilkis on Facebook one week back. Since then, the arrested Bilkis kept contacting the victim over Facebook on various pretexts, including seeking assistance regarding admissions in the university. 

At one stage, the teacher went to Rampura Banasree area under Khilgaon police station to meet one of his brothers last Thursday morning. Being informed, Bilkis called the teacher over phone and requested him to meet her in front of the Banasree's 10 floor market for discussing admission in the Open University.  

When the victim teacher went there, the arrested Bilkis, along with her accomplices forcibly kidnapped him and took him to the 6th floor flat of a house in Dakshin Banasree Kazibari T&T Tower area. 

Later, the abductors threatened to kill the victim, tied his hands and feet and tortured him with sticks and hammers and took away Tk3,000 in cash and Tk20,000 from bkash account.  Besides, they also recorded an offensive video of the victim on mobile phone and threatened to spread it on the internet.  

To relief from torture, the arrested kidnappers asked the victim to bring a ransom of Tk2,00,000 from his family on the same day. Finding no other alternatives, the victim communicated with the husband of his sister over phone and requested him to send Tk2 lakh through Bkash number given by the accused. 

As the victim's phone was switched off and he did not return home on Wednesday, the victim's sister-in-law became suspicious and filed a general diary at Kalabagan police station in the capital (GD No. 318 of Kalabagan police station, dated October 5). 

The next following day on Thursday, the abducted teacher again contacted his brother-in-law over phone and asked him to send the money. Finally, the victim's brother-in-law sent Tk45,000 through bkash. 

In the meantime, family members of the victim informed the ATU headquarters about the matter. Following the complaint, the ATU conducted the drive at Banasree with the help of local Khilgaon thana police on Friday night at around 10:45pm and rescued the victim, arresting the five abductors.