Tura, Dec 6: Quick response from police in West Garo Hills helped a family ward off paying any ransom money to a gang of criminals who kidnapped their breadwinner after police busted their hideout and safely rescued him in Bogolarbita area of Chibinang-Tikrikilla in the Phulbari plains during a special operation on Sunday.

The victim, Sayful Islam, son of Mokbul Hussain of Bholarbita, under Tikrikilla police station, was a fish seller who use to visit villages to sell his produce.

He went missing on Saturday along with his motorcycle (As-18 9854) while proceeding to supply fish for a marriage party in one of the villages under Bholarbita.

The family received a call from the phone number of their missing member in which an unknown person on the other hand told them to arrange a ransom of Rs 15 Lakh for his safe return. They demanded that the ransom be paid within three days.

“One Fir was received this morning at 9:30 AM at Bholarbita outpost about the case and we immediately launched search and rescue teams to ensure his safe return and capture of the perpetrators. A team headed by Bholarbita officer in charge and supervised by additional SP launched operations, ” informed West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police MGR Kumar while speaking to HUB NEWS on Sunday evening.

Backed by ground intelligence from various sources, the police search and rescue operation zeroed in on the village of Bandangre, which falls under Bholarbita outpost.

“We rescued the kidnapped victim safely from near the house of the Bandangre Nokma. The kidnappers had abandoned him and fled in getting news of our rescue operations” mentioned the SP.

The Superintendent of Police also informed that operations are continuing to bring them to book and some of the gang members involved in the crime have already been identified.