A group of cattle traders returning home by a ferry after selling their cattle and goats was robbed of Tk 30 lakh by armed men in the Meghna river off the coast of Barishal on Tuesday.

Faruk Hossain, sub-inspector of Kaliganj River Police, said Aziz Shikdar, a cattle trader, along with 10-15 others, hired the vessel to go to Laxmipur Mollarhat from Char Ekokria for selling 28 cattle and 50 goats ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

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While they were returning home after selling all the goats and 18 cattle, armed robbers got into the ferry in the Lalboya area around 6pm, thrashed them and decamped with the cash, the officer said.

"A probe is on," said SI Faruk.