According to family sources, the victims, including Mofizur Rahman, Zahidur Rahman and Akhtar Hossain of village Gava under Satkhira Sadar upazila, went to the Sundarbans for a trip by an engine boat.

When they reached Pashurtola, a gang of Indian pirates swooped on the boat and kidnapped them.

Later, the gang released two boatmen -- Alamgir and Zahirul -- on condition that they would come back to the Maloncha River in the Sundarbans with the ransom money within three days.