Kidnapping in remote hill areas: Large amount of arms recovered, 6 held

Staff Reporter  :
The elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested six people including the mastermind of a kidnapping and robbery gang Hafizur Rahman Prakash alias Saleh Chhale Uddin who used to kidnap the people at various times in the remote hills of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. During this drive, a large amount of arms and ammunition were recovered.

The arrested persons have been identified as Hafizur Rahman Prakash alias Saleh Uddin (30), Nurul Alam Prakash Nuru (40), Akhter Kamal Prakash Sohail (37), Nurul Alam Prakash Lalu (24), Harunur Rashid (23) and Riaz Uddin Barry (17).

In a press conference at RAB-15 office, Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of the legal and media wing of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), confirmed the matter on Saturday afternoon (May 6).

Khandaker Al Moin said that acting on secret information, a drive was conducted in Baharchhara of Teknaf on Friday night. At the time, the law enforcers arrested six members of armed-group Chhale Bahini from the spot.

Chhale alias Saleh Uddin, the ring leader of the robber gang had been carrying out robbery, drug peddling and human trafficking for a long time. He has at least 12 to 15 members of terrorist group in the local areas.

Khandaker Al Moin further said that among the recovered weapons were one foreign pistol, five rounds of bullets, three single-barreled large country guns, two single-barreled medium guns, six single-barreled small guns including a total of 12 country-made guns, 17 rounds, of fresh cartridges, four rounds of empty cartridges and two knives.

Note that in the last 7 months; about 72 people have been abducted from the hilly areas of Teknaf. There were about 40 Rohingyas victims.
At least 35 of the kidnapped victims have been released on ransom. Seven people have been kidnapped in the last two days. In the meantime, two have returned with a ransom of four lakh taka, RAB officials added.