Acting on a tip off, a team of Ramna police carried out a pre-dawn raid on the hall and rescued Ranju Ahmed Khan Bashar, a resident of Pallabi, from room No. 2004. Police also arrested Kamal Mahmud Shohag, a JCD leader of the hall, Al-Mamun and Shafiullah.

Sources said some JCD leaders including Shanta of Salimullah Hall and Salahuddin and Sohel of Surya Sen Hall abducted Bashar and beat him up at room No. 211 of the hall. They demanded Tk 50,000 for his release and threatened his family members to kill him if they did otherwise.

Bashar, who owed money to Mamun, went to the DU hall for the sum when the JCD leaders confined him in a room, the sources added.

Bashar's family, meanwhile, learnt about his fate and informed the hall provost and police. Provost Prof Sirajul Islam and police raided the hall at around 3:00am, rescued Bashar and arrested the three.

However, the masterminds of the incident Salahuddin and Shanta managed to escape, JCD leaders and activists of the hall said, adding that they were expelled from the party for their involvement in crimes.

Tariqul Islam Titu, JCD president of the hall unit, said the JCD and general students helped police nab the abductors. "We'll help police arrest the expelled JCD leaders," he added.

The arrestees were placed before a court, which ordered to send them to jail.