Debt-ridden father stages son’s kidnapping to seek help from wealthy relatives

A 36-year-old father has been arrested in Shariatpur's Jajira upazila today, after it came to light that he had staged the kidnapping of his own son.

"We arrested Moktar Hossain Khan -- from Abdul Bepari Kandi village of Borokandi union in Jajira -- for getting his 9-year-old son Naeem kidnapped," SM Ashrafuzzaman, Superintendent of Shariatpur Police, told The Daily Star.

"We rescued Naeem earlier today from the house of Moktar's cousin Lipi Akter in Purbo Doleshwar village under Keraniganj upazila of Dhaka," he said.

"We interrogated Moktar and at one stage, he confessed that he made the plan to get his son abducted," Ashrafuzzaman said.

One Sabbir, a friend of Moktar, took Naeem to Lipi's house in Keraniganj, said the SP.

"Moktar told us that using the abduction, he intended to seek ransom money from his wealthy relatives as he has a lot of debt and is desperately in need of money," the police official added.

HOW THE ABDUCTION WAS CARRIED OUT

Moktar yesterday went to Rupbabur Haat in Jajira at around 8am. While he was drinking tea at a stall there around 12pm, his son Naeem crossed the road to relieve himself. There was some traffic congestion on the road in front of the tea shop. Naeem could not be found after vehicles started moving again.

Not finding his son after looking around, Moktar returned home at around 2:30pm and narrated the incident to his relatives. In the meantime, he told his relatives that a kidnapper called him demanding ransom for his son's release.

Rubel Bepari, one of his relatives, went to Jajira Police Station that day to inform police of the incident.

"Soon after, we took necessary steps to rescue the boy," Azharul Islam Sarker, officer-in-charge of Jajira Police Station, said.

A case was filed against Moktar today, the OC added.