Land dispute leads to abduction of Natore AL man

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Land dispute with a cousin led the Monday's kidnapping of Abdur Rouf Badsha, general secretary of Chhatardighi union Awami League in Natore, police said.

Police, however, said Abdur Razzak Raju who is the son of Badsha's cousin Moksed Ali Sarker was arrested thrice in the past for his suspected links with militant outfit JMB and looting arms from Bamihal police outpost.

Raju and his detained brother Motiur Rahman hired five criminals from Natore town and rented a microbus for Tk 1,600 for kidnapping Badsha, police said.

Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Shingra Police Station in Natore, told This correspondent that a gang of nine led by Raju kidnapped Badsha from near Kaliganj Bazar under Chhatardighi Union around 8:00pm on Monday. The gang took him in a microbus and drove the vehicle towards Bogra.

He said locals chased and caught the microbus with the seven kidnappers at Chapapur Bazar of Adamdighi upazila in Bogra after half an hour later. Police later arrested seven criminals while two others managed to flee.

Police also rescued Badsha with his hands and legs tied with ropes. Badsha is now undergoing treatment at Shingra Hospital as he was beaten up during the kidnapping incident.

The arrestees are Raju, his brother Motiur, Mir Ashikur Rahman, Tawkir alias Tanu, Morshed Khan alias Mamun, microbus driver Rashidul Haque Sujon, and helper Sirajul Islam Dholu.

Meanwhile, police yesterday sought a five-day remand for the seven arrested criminals including the militant-suspect Raju in connection with a kidnapping case filed by Badsha.

A Natore court sent the arrestees to jail custody fixing today for hearing on the remand prayer.

Asked about the connection of arrested persons with any militant outfit, Mozammel Haque, additional superintendent of police in Natore, mentioned Raju's arrest and the cases against him. He however said police are yet to find out militant link with other arrestees.

He suspects that criminals tried to kidnap Badsha to kill him as police recovered a machete, a few hammers and ropes from the microbus.

Badsha filed a kidnapping case with Shingra police station against the nine persons alleging that the criminals kidnapped him after he denied to pay them a toll of Tk 6 lakh.

Raju's father Moksed Ali told reporters that he has a land dispute with his relative since 2002.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=124820