Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members detained 15 robbers from Banshkhali upazila in Chattogram and Pekua Kutubdia of Cox's Bazar for abducting 17 fishermen.
During the drives conducted on Friday and Saturday, chief of the robber gang Nurul Kabir, its second-in-command Md. Mamun were detained.
Other detained gang members are Nurul Afsar, Nurul Quader, Hasan, Abdul Hamid, Abu Bakkar, Md. Yusuf, Gias Uddin, Safiul Alam Manik, Abdul Khaleq, Rubel Uddin, Saiful Islam Jiku, Md. Sultan and Manzur Alam.
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Two pistols, six one-shooter guns, four cartridges, five swords, one knife, one machete and two locally made sharp weapons were seized from them.
RAB-7 Commander Lieutenant Colonel MA Yusuf said on Saturday evening said that the gang known as Kabir bahini used to physically torture fishermen and extort money from them.
On January 14, the gang kidnapped 17 fishermen and demanded Tk 10 lakh as ransom from the boat owner.
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After the owner managed to give them Tk 2 lakh, they snatched 2,000 pieces of hilsa from the fishermen.
The gang released the fishermen when they came to know about the RAB drives, he said.