4 held over kidnapping bank official in Ctg

Police today arrested four members of an abduction gang on charge of kidnapping a bank official and extorting Tk two lakh in Chattogram city's Rahattarpul area.

The arrestees are Md Shahid Alam Ledu (30), Md Jahangir Alam (30), Md Raihan (28), and Md Gias Uddin (29). Ledu is the leader of the gang, reports our Chattogram correspondent quoting Ruhul Amin Sabuj, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bakalia Police Station.

The OC said the kidnapping incident took place on March 5 after victim Shamim Hasan (37), senior officer of Shahjalal Islami Bank's Halishahar Branch, went to Bakalia.

In February, a client of Shamim gave him the mobile number of a woman and he had gone to Bakalia upon her invitation, the OC said.

When the bank official went to the address given by her, Ledu along with six other gang members held Shamim hostage and extorted Tk 2 lakh from him, the police official said.

The OC said the gang members threatened the banker with sharp weapons and freed him later the same day after extorting the money in several phases through Bkash.

Shamim lodged a case with Bakalia police station the following day against seven people, including the woman.

The police conducted a drive and made the arrests today.

Police also recovered two knives from their possession.

"Police are trying to arrest the other gang members," the OC added.