2 including rural doctor kidnapped in Teknaf, Tk6 lakh 'ransom' demanded

Two individuals, including a rural doctor, were kidnapped in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf upazila on Sunday. 

The perpetrators allegedly demanded a ransom of Tk6 lakh from the families of the abductees.

The rural doctor, Zahir Uddin, hails from the Thaingkhali area of Ukhiya upazila of the district while the identity of another person has not been confirmed yet.

The incident took place around 9pm as the two individuals were going to their homes through Whykhong road in Teknaf, said Muhammad Osman Gani, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Teknaf police station.

Kamruddin Mukul, the younger brother of abducted Zahir Uddin, said his brother was returning home from his work, riding a CNG-run auto-rickshaw along with another passenger. "A group of miscreants stopped the vehicle on the Shamlapur-Whykhong road, held them at gunpoint, and took them hostage to the hills," he said, quoting the auto driver.

Shortly thereafter, a ransom of Tk6 lakh was demanded over a phone call, he added. 

Upon receiving information, the OC said multiple police teams had been deployed to initiate a rescue operation.

However, previously from March 2023, 120 people, including Rohingyas, were abducted from various areas of Teknaf. Of them, 62 were locals. 

At least 53 of the abducted individuals were released upon payment of ransom, according to families of the victims