Sagar Biswas :
Police recovered bullet-ridden bodies of three cow traders on Monday who were killed after abduction by a newly-emerged terrorist outfit named ‘Tripura Group’ at remote Thanchhi upazila in the country’s southeastern hilly district of Bandarban.
The law enforcement agencies with the help of local people recovered the bodies of ill-fated traders from a bush at 28-kilometre area adjacent to Thanchhi-Ali Kadam road at about 3:00pm, police said. They were identified as Abu Bakkar, 40, Absar Ali, 35 and Shahabuddin, 25, all hailed from Ali Kadam sadar upazila.
When contacted, Superintendent of Police in Bandarban Mizanur Rahman told The New Nation last night, “We have identified the terrorist group. They are members of newly -emerged ‘Tripura Group’. But we are yet to get the political manifesto of the group, whether they are supporters of CHT Peace Treaty, or not.”
“As per intelligence information, the Tripura Group earlier used to kidnap local people to make them party members. Now, they have changed the strategy. Another gang, named ‘Murong Group’, which was engaged in such crimes in the previous days, recently surrendered to the law enforcement agencies,” the SP said detailing the crime scenario in the hill district.
According to local sources and police, the traders were kidnapped along with Tk 3 lakh on Friday afternoon. One Jumon Tripura, member of terrorist group, phoned to a cow trader Abu Naim on Pahela Baishakh [April 14] and told him that he has nine cows for trade.
After primary inspection, Abu Naim informed them that they were ready to buy the cows at a reasonable price. After a brief telephonic conversation, the three traders along with Tk 3 lakh went to Obaidul Mia village under Ali Kadam upazila sadar for buying the cows.
As the traders reached there, the terrorists took them to the deep forest at gunpoint. Later, the terrorists killed them after taking the money on Friday [April 15]. Not only that, the terrorist group also took Tk 50,000 more from the family members of victims through B-kash on Saturday giving false assurance of release to their family members, said Mansha Mro, Union Parishad Chairman of Thanchhi Sadar.
“On Monday, the terrorists phoned Md Hasem, brother of slain Abu Bakkar, and told him to take bodies of three traders, who were killed earlier. Police recovered the bodies and sent them to morgue for autopsy,” said Md Sirajul Islam, Officer-in Charge of Ali Kadam Police Station.
Police arrested three members of the terrorist outfit in connection with the abduction and murder. They are Zohan Tripura and Jasaim Tripura on Saturday. Of them, Zohan Tripura was arrested from remote Yangrai village, 30 kilometer far from Thanchhi upazila sadar.
Later, a combined team comprising the members of Army, BGB and Police conducted a massive manhunt in the forest along with the arrestees to nab other members of the gang. At that time, a terrorist named John Bright Tripura was arrested.
Meanwhile, the people of the hill district Bandarban are passing their days in utmost anxiety due to abnormal rise in criminal activities including toll collection, abduction and murder.
Local sources said that some misguided tribal people in connivance with the outsiders have established a reign of terror in Sadar, Roangchhari, Ruma and Thanchhi thanas who are engaged hardcore crimes.
Earlier on January 1, the terrorists killed a Bangalee resident and two tribal people at the same area. Not only that, boat looting has also became a regular phenomenon in Sangu River, but authorities are yet to take any action in this regard, according to the sources.
It was earlier alleged that some separatist groups from Myanmar are mainly engaged in such heinous activities causing concern among the people.
“The separatist groups of neighbouring Myanmar are now almost inactive due to massive crackdown by combined forces. The combined force of Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Army have conducted several operations inside the hills and captured some members of banned Arakan Army and other terrorist outfits in the recent days,” the Bandarban SP said.
