9 'members' of kidnapping gang arrested

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested nine alleged members, including three females, of a kidnapping gang in the capital's Rampura area early yesterday.

They also seized 15 mobile phone sets, 22 SIM cards, a laptop, a camera, four national ID cards, two press cards, seven chequebooks and Tk 46,000 from their possession.

The arrestees are: Jahangir alias Ershad, 45, Sharif alias Delwar Hossain, 35, Mintu Mia, 46, Bachchu Mia, 45, Tomiz Uddin, 48, Hosne Ara Begum, 45, Asma Begum, 20, Sharmin Akter, 18, and Akash Chowdhury Rony, 32.

Earlier, on Thursday, a team of Rab-3 arrested two people -- Siraj Uddin alias Khokhon, 57, and Aftab Uddin alias Milon, 50 -- and rescued an abductee, Waziul Islam, from a flat in Khilgaon.

Later, following information gleaned from two arrestees, the team conducted a drive in Rampura and made the arrest, said Abdul Karim, operation officer of Rab-3.

Rab claimed that Waziul of Comilla was abducted by the gang members from Malibagh area on his way to a relative's house.

Rab officials said the gang members used to abduct people in different ways and demand ransom from their family.