Our Correspondent, Natore

Villagers caught a youth while allegedly attempting to abduct a schoolgirl at Haybatpur in Sadar upazila yesterday morning.The accused was identified as Nazrul Islam, 25, son of Abdur Rahim of Laxmipur Chauri village.

The girl is a class ten student at a local high school and resident of the village.

Her father alleged that one Abu Bakkar, 28, of Laxmipur Chauri village, often teased his daughter on her way to school.

Bakkar and his accomplices Nazrul Islam, 24, Faruk Hossain, 23, Tofazzal Hossain, 25, Anisur Rahman, 24, of Laxmipur Chauri entered the school and tried to pick up the girl at gunpoint yesterday at around 11:30am, he said.

The gang also threatened to shoot the teachers and students as they tried to resist the matter.

Hearing the hue and cry, locals rushed to the spot and chased the culprits and caught Nazrul while the rest managed to flee the scene by a microbus.

Nazrul was later handed over to police, said family members.

Agitated villagers blocked Natore-Dhaka highway for about one and a half hours, demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the criminals.

They withdrew the barricade at around 1:00pm following an assurance by police of taking steps to arrest those responsible for the offence.

A case was filed accusing five people in this connection, said assistant superintendent of police Apel Mahmud.

Police were raiding different areas to arrest the criminals, said the ASP.

Source: The Daily Star, 8 January 2013