Kidnappers take river routes

Detective police rescued kidnapped Md Farhad Hossain on Tuesday, six days after his abduction, and arrested five people in this connection from different parts of the country.
Among the arrestees Yasmin and Ashraf Ullah alias Jewel were captured on Monday from city' s Sutrapur while their accomplices Sultan from Bajibandi village of Rajbari Sadar, Bakkar from Dhawapara terminal under Sujanagar upazila in Pabna and Iman Ali from Goalanda Ghat on Tuesday.
Following the abduction on Wednesday, the kidnappers had been drifting through rivers to avoid confrontation with the law enforcers.
According to a DMP press release, detective police arrested Yasmin and Jewel tracking their cellphones and gleaned Sultan's whereabouts in a preliminary interrogation.
Sultan was arrested at one Badal Kazi's house at Bajibandi village of Rajbari Sadar early Tuesday, said the press release.
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Md Mahibul Islam Khan of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said, on Sultan's information a team of detective police conducted a drive at a river in Sujanagar, Pabna around 5:00am and rescued victim Farhad from a trawler. The kidnappers abandoned the trawler after an exchange of gunshots with the law enforcers for almost 45 minutes. Police, however, managed to arrest Bakkar from the scene, added AC Mahibul.
DB sources said Yasmin developed a false relationship with victim Farhad, 28, a resident of Postogola in Shyampur in the capital, over cell phone. On July 8 she asked him to meet at Aricha terminal and as he arrived Yasmin's crime partners abducted him at gunpoint.
The gang later demanded Tk 50 lakh ransom from the victim's relatives over phone, said the sources.
Quoting Yasmin AC Mahibul said Jewel gave her Farhad's number and asked her to develop intimacy with him.
In her preliminary interrogation Yasmin claimed Sultan to be the ringleader of the gang, said the AC.
DB sources said Sultan and his partners-in-crime used female associates to deceive and kidnap people. They are already accused in such case lodged with Dakkhin Khan Police Station.