Police bust abduction gang posing as law enforcers, rescue four

Authorities say a gang using wireless sets and fake identities of law enforcers abducted victims for ransom

A gang accused of abducting people across Dhaka while impersonating law-enforcing officers has been busted, with police rescuing four victims in an operation at Uttara’s Diabari in Dhaka.

Those rescued in the Monday operation are Selim, Saiful, Sohel -- all identified with single names, and Ali Ahmed, said Md Jewel Rana, additional deputy commissioner of Mohammadpur Police.

Police also arrested two alleged members of the abduction gang before the rescue. They are Mizanur Rahman Ripon and another known only as Faisal.

According to police, 34-year-old fish trader Selim was abducted early Sunday from Dhaka Udyan.

His wife Shanu Begum later filed a complaint with Mohammadpur Police.

Acting on the complaint, police arrested alleged gang leader Ripon at Hatirjheel on Sunday night.

On Monday morning, Faisal was arrested in Diabari, where the four victims were found.

“Initially, Selim, Saiful and Sohel were abducted. Selim and Saiful were detained inside a house in Basabo, while Sohel was taken again in a microbus to Beribadh. Later, a rickshaw puller named Ali Ahmed was also picked up,” Jewel said.

“They tied them up inside the vehicle, played loud music and beat them. Later, they demanded Tk 200,000 per victim from their families,” he added.

Police said the victims were first kept in a Basabo house, where they were tortured. A bKash transaction number led investigators to Ripon’s arrest.

After Ripon was detained, his associates shifted the victims to a garage in Diabari.

Investigators said the gang of seven to eight members used wireless sets and posed as law-enforcing personnel to abduct people across Dhaka and extort ransom.

Police are continuing efforts to identify others involved.