A Chakma youth abducted by armed criminals from a hilly area of Teknaf has escaped dramatically from captivity, amid growing concern over a sharp rise in kidnappings in the upazila.
The victim, Sankuching Chakma, 35, managed to flee early Sunday morning and reached a safe location with the help of local residents.
Sankuching Chakma, a resident of Chowkidarpara in Baharchhara Union, was engaged in farming on the hills when he was abducted, police said.
Officer-in-Charge of the Baharchhara Investigation Centre under Teknaf Model Police Station, Durjoy Biswas, confirmed the incident on Sunday afternoon.
“The abducted man escaped on his own in the morning and later informed the police,” he said, adding that an investigation is under way.
Describing his ordeal, Sankuching Chakma said a group of 20 to 30 armed men took him hostage at gunpoint while he was working in the hills.
“They were demanding ransom from my family,” he said.
“I told them I am a poor man who survives on farming, but they did not release me,” he added.
He said he seized the opportunity to escape at dawn when his captors fell asleep and fled the area.
Police and local sources said the abduction took place on Saturday afternoon from the hills adjacent to Chowkidarpara in Baharchhara Union.
At the time, the armed group also attempted to abduct another man, identified as Abdullah, 60, who was accompanying Sankuching Chakma.
Abdullah managed to escape by running, and later claimed that the criminals fired shots at him while he was fleeing.
Officer-in-Charge of Teknaf Model Police Station Saiful Islam said the abduction was initially believed to have been carried out for ransom.
“Since the victim managed to escape, the matter is being investigated with importance,” he said.
He added that security operations have been intensified in the hilly areas.
According to data compiled by Cox’s Bazar district police and accounts from victims, at least 275 people have been abducted from different parts of Teknaf over the past year.
Most of them reportedly returned after ransoms were paid.
The continued spate of abductions in the hilly and border areas has sparked widespread fear and anxiety among local residents.
