Police arrested a man and his associate from Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga on Tuesday night for allegedly kidnapping his own son and demanding ransom.
The child was rescued unharmed during an operation, police officials said on Wednesday.
According to police, the accused, Md Azizul, 28, along with an accomplice, abducted his son Siyam at around 5:30pm and took him to a secluded garden. The child was tied up and threatened with a sharp sickle while the suspects demanded a ransom of Tk 50,000 from his mother. They also threatened to kill the boy and dispose of his body if the demand was not met.
Acting on a tip off, a team of Jibannagar police and the Detective Branch launched a joint operation at several places in the area, said Chuadanga superintendent of police Mohammad Ruhul Kabir Khan.
Police conducted a raid in the Paka Daspara area and arrested Azizul and his associate, M Akhtar, 26 at around 9:30pm. They also rescued the victim from them safely.
Police said Tk 7,000 was recovered from the suspects, part of Tk 10,300 sent via mobile banking by the family in an attempt to secure the victim’s release. A sharp sickle and a mobile phone were also seized, the police official said.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the child’s mother is currently in India. Investigators believe the accused exploited her absence, staging the abduction and sending threatening images of the child to extort money.
A case has been filed with Jibannagar police station in this connection, the SP said.
Law enforcement agencies remain vigilant and committed to taking strict action against such crimes to ensure public safety, he added.
CHM/MHK