Natore priest missing: Miscreants ‘demand Tk 3 lakh ransom’

Miscreants have reportedly demanded Tk 3 lakh as ransom from the family of priest Walter William Rozario, who has been missing in Baraigram upazila of Natore since Monday.

“My younger brother Amol Rozario received a call from Walter’s number last night. The caller demanded Tk 3 lakhs as ransom,” Bimal Rozario, elder brother of the Walter, told our Natore correspondent.

Bimal also said that Amol sought time from the caller to pay the money and later informed the law enforcers about the matter.

The same caller also called this morning again but switched the phone off just after saying ‘Nomoskar’, he said.

Harun-or-Rashid, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Baraigram (circle), said several teams of law enforcers are working to find out the missing priest.

“Criminals might have called the victim’s family members through a software (spoofing call) using the mobile number of the missing priest,” the police official said.

Father Walter William Rozario, 40, assistant parish priest of Bornimariabad Catholic Church in Baraigram upazila, went missing after he left his Bonpara residence for the church Monday afternoon.

Walter is also the headteacher of Saint Louis High School in the upazila.