Three kidnapped for ransom rescued from remote hills in Teknaf

Three individuals who were abducted for ransom have been rescued from a remote hilly area in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar, following a crackdown by RAB. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-15) conducted separate operations at two locations on Thursday night, April 16, and rescued them unharmed.

Assistant Superintendent of Police A M Faruk, Assistant Director (Law and Media) of RAB-15, confirmed the matter on Friday morning, April 17.

RAB said that on April 10, unidentified individuals lured the three victims to the Teknaf bus stand area under the pretext of providing masonry work. They were then taken by CNG-run auto-rickshaw to a remote hill in the Karachi Para area of Rajarchhara union under the upazila and held hostage. The abductors demanded Tk 5 lakh in ransom from their families over mobile phone, threatening to kill the victims. The families of the victims filed two general diaries (GDs) at Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station on April 12. The matter was subsequently reported to RAB, which launched an operation using intelligence surveillance and information technology to rescue the abducted individuals.

A team from RAB-15's Teknaf camp conducted an operation in the hilly area adjacent to Karachi Para in Teknaf Sadar union and at Hnila Bazar based on secret information around 9:15 pm on Thursday. Sensing the presence of RAB, the abductors fled, leaving the victims behind. The three individuals were subsequently rescued from the scene.

The rescued individuals are Zakir Ahmed, 42; Nur Hossain, 22; and Ayat Ullah, 22. All of them reside in the Link Road South Muhuripara area of Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila.

Assistant Police Superintendent A M Faruk said the process of handing over the rescued individuals to their families is underway. Efforts to identify and arrest those involved in the abduction continue.