Case filed over hijacking of chicken-laden pickup by fake RAB men in Rajbari

A case has been filed with Pangsha Model Police Station in Rajbari, two days after a pickup truck loaded with chickens was reportedly hijacked by men posing as members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

Hasanuzzaman, the owner of the pickup, filed the case, accusing 13 to 14 unidentified individuals.

Mohammad Salauddin, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Pangsha Model Police Station, said the incident occurred near Maishala Bus Stand on the Rajbari-Kushtia regional highway last Tuesday.

“Although the case was filed Thursday evening, police have been investigating the matter since the incident. However, neither the pickup has been recovered nor have any suspects been arrested yet,” he added.

Quoting the victims, the OC said Hasanuzzaman had recently purchased the vehicle for Tk 16.65 lakh. 

The pickup left Miraj Poultry Farm Unit-2 in Pirganj, Thakurgaon, on Monday evening, carrying 819 golden parent chickens weighing around 2,000 kg, bound for Faridpur.

Early Tuesday, a white Hiace microbus signalled the truck to stop near Maishala Bus Stand in Baliapara Union of Pangsha. 

Around 10–12 men, dressed in RAB uniforms, got out of the microbus, claiming there were drugs in the truck and ordered everyone to step out, the police official said.

The assailants then tied up the driver, assistant, and lineman with ropes, blindfolded them, and took them into the microbus while seizing control of the chicken-laden pickup.

The victims were later dropped near Swastipur Substation Gate under Kushtia Sadar Police Station after being subjected to electric shocks. 

Their four mobile phones were also taken away, OC Salauddin said.

Local residents rescued them and informed the owner, who initially thought the truck had gone towards  Kushtia but later learned it had been taken toward Rajbari.

RAB-10 Faridpur Camp Company Commander Md Tariqul Islam confirmed that no RAB-10 Faridpur or Kushtia-12 teams were on patrol at that time and said an operation has been launched to catch the perpetrators.