Girl escapes kidnap bid in Pabna

At least five children were reportedly abducted in Santhia upazila yesterday afternoon, said a victim who claimed to have escaped from the kidnappers.

However, police and upazila administration could not immediately confirm who were kidnapped but said a drive was going on to trace the kidnappers' vehicle.

The victim, Meem Khatun, 12, daughter of Md Ratan of Nariagodai village and a student of class five at Nariagodai Primary School, was handed over to her father.

Quoting Meem, Jahangir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Santhia police, said a black microbus stopped in front of her school when she came outside. Passengers of the vehicle forced her into the microbus making her unconscious with a handkerchief around 11:00am, she added.

The victim further said she got back her consciousness when the microbus reached Dhulauri point and jumped from the vehicle when it slowed down. The microbus went towards Ataikula Road, said the OC, adding, Meem ran to Demra Road in panic where locals rescued her.

“According to Meem's statement, four other unconscious girls were inside the microbus. But she could not identify any of them,” the OC said.

The law enforcers alerted nearby police stations and a drive was going on to trace the microbus, the OC told this newspaper when this report was being filed.

Talking to The Daily Star, Md Jahangir Alam, upazila nirbahi officer, however said there was no report of any missing children in Santhia. He added they have informed all education institutions about the matter.

“All the education institutions in the upazila have been alerted. If any student is found missing, the school authorities concerned will report to us immediately,” the UNO added.