A private bus carrying passengers in Alipurduar chased a car and rescued two girls on Friday afternoon.

The girls were abducted by a gang of criminals from the deserted location of a state highway. Police have arrested four of the five goons who were involved in the kidnap. Senior police officers have appreciated the efforts of the bus driver and passengers who were instrumental in rescuing the girls.

Sources said two youths and two girls from the neighbouring Cooch Behar district had been to a place in Alipurduar in a car. While returning from there, they halted at a roadside motel for lunch.

“We saw five boys, who were in two motorcycles, reaching the eatery. They too ordered food and sat at another table. We had no inkling that they were after us,” said one of the youths.

At around 4.30pm, as the quartet headed for Coochbehar along the Sonapur-Hasimara state highway which moves through the fringes of Jaldapara National Park, the youths in bikes overtook them and intercepted the car.

“The overpowered us and dragged us out of the car while forcing the girls to sit in the car. Three of them got into the car and drove away towards Kodalbusty forest while two others followed them on their bikes,” added the youth.

As the youths stood helplessly on the deserted highway, they found a bus heading towards Cooch Behar from Jaigaon. The youths frantically waved, prompting the driver to pull on the brakes.

The duo then narrated their ordeal to the driver and the passengers. Some of the passengers asked the driver to try and trace the car.

The driver acted. Soon, the bus could locate the car and the bikes. The bus overtook the car and managed to make the smaller vehicle stop.

“Usually, we do not stop the bus in any place other than the stoppage as the road moves through forest areas. But when I listened to the youths, I felt that the girls were really in trouble,” said the driver who didn’t want to be named.

The passengers disembarked and found the girls seated in the car. Realizing the situation, three goons fled on bikes. The passengers, however, got hold of the other two and thrashed them.

“We found that the goons had already snatched gold ornaments and cell phones from the girls. The girls are fortunate that we could rescue them without much trouble,” the driver added.

The intercepted goons were handed over to the police at the Sonapur police outpost.

Police interrogated the duo and gathered information about the other three.

Later on Friday night, two others were arrested.

One more is yet to be nabbed.

The police also handed over one of the girls, who is a minor, to the child welfare committee of the district, said sources.

A senior police officer said that the gang was active in the area and was indulging in crimes like snatching and robbery on the highway.

“We thank the bus driver and the passengers. Thanks to their efforts, we could nab four members of the gang. Our men are in search of another person,” said the police officer.