Two abducted students rescued, 2 arrested

Police rescued an abducted college student from Nalkhola village in Shailakupa upazila of Jhenidah district early yesterday, eight days after his abduction, reports our correspondent.

The law enforcers also arrested one of the kidnappers named Ashraf Ali, 35, son of Akib Uddin of the village.

The victim is Ariful Islam, 24, a BA second-year student at Moheshpur Degree College, and son of Asadul Islam of Lebutola village in Moheshpur upazila of the district.

Police said Ariful and his friend Shamim Hossain of the same village came to visit Ashraf's house, one of Shamim's relatives, in Nalkhola village on February 10.

Soon after their arrival, Shamim and Ashraf confined Ariful to a room of the house. They later phoned Ariful's father and demanded Tk 2.5 lakh for his son's release.

Victim's father Asadul filed an abduction case with Shailakupa Police Station on February 11, and according to their (police) suggestions, he bargained with the kidnappers over the ransom amount.

At one stage, the kidnappers agreed to release the boy in exchange for Tk 50 thousand.

Tracking their cellphone numbers, a team of police raided the village around 2:00am yesterday, arrested Ashraf and rescued Ariful, said Officer-in-Charge Mohibul Islam of Shailakupa Police Station.

Our Bogra correspondent reported that a schoolboy, abducted from Nandigram upazila on Monday, was rescued in Matidali area of Sadar upazila on Tuesday night.

Police also arrested one of the alleged abductors named Siam Hossain, 20, son of Ashraf Ali of Joyantipur village in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj.

Police quoting victim's family members said, Siam picked up Rakibul Hasan, 9, a Class II student at Chowmuhani Al Manar Academy, and son of Ashraf Ali of Aagpur village in Nandigram upazila, while he was returning home from school around 10:00am on February15.

Later, the kidnapper phoned the boy's father and demanded Tk 5 lakh as ransom for his son's release, police said.

Following a complaint lodged by the victim's father with Nandigram Police Station on February 16, police advised him to start negotiation with the abductor so that they could track his phone calls.

After tracking the abductor's phone calls, police intercepted a Sylhet-bound passenger bus in the area, arrested Siam and rescued the boy, said Gaziur Rahman, senior assistant superintendent of police in Bogra.