The detectives also seized one private car, three motorcycles, one pistol with one magazine, five jackets of DMP DB, a DMP police sergeant’s uniform and a DMP police constable’s shirt, seven still sticks, three black wireless devices,   four pistol-like lighters and 15 mobile sets  from their possessions.

The rescued students, who happen to be related,  are Tanjim Al Islam Dibos and Khalid Hasan Dhrubo. Tanjim is the son of Advocate Fakhrul Islam, general secretary of Kurigram district Ainjibi Samity (Lawyers’ Association).

The arrested kidnappers are—Md Fakar Uddin, Mahmudur Rahman Rasel, Rashiduzzaman alias Tushar, Shafiqul Islam, HM Moshiur Rahman alias Pappu, Imtiaj Ahmed, Ariful Islam alias Nishan and Abdullah Al Noman.

Based on secret information, a special team of DB (West Division) rescued the two students from Demra area, while the abductors were arrested from Motijheel , Mohammadpur and Demra , said Additional Commissioner (DB) of the DMP Abdul Baten while briefing reporters at the DMP media centre on Sunday.

Both Dibos and Dhrobo were abducted from Mohammadpur area on January 21. Dibos is an A level student of Dhanmondi Vertical Horizon English Medium School and Dhrubo is student of Dhaka College, Baten said.

One of the members of the kidnapping gang phoned Dibos’s mother and informed her that both Dibos and Dhrubo had been kidnapped, and demanded Tk 50 lakh as ransom. They demanded the money by 5 pm on Friday afternoon, otherwise they would kill the two hostages.

The arrested gang members are professional kidnappers and have prior criminal records.

A case was filed with Mohammadpur police station.