Vijayawada: Police bust kidnapping gang; rescue boy, arrest 4

Vijayawada: Police have rescued a four-year-old boy from abductors within hours at Tummalapalem village under Guduru police station limits in Krishna district.

The boy was kidnapped by four persons including two women at Bhavanipuram in Vijayawada city of NTR district on Wednesday afternoon over financial disputes, The arrested have been identified as Lingam Devender (32), a native of Hyderabad and a former home guard in the police department, V Bujji Babu (42), Usha Subhasini (36) and T Manga Rani (34), all natives of Krishna district.

The accused demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for the release of the boy. The investigation has revealed the prime accused in the case was known to the boy’s father Gopi Krishna.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, West Zone Vijayawada, K Hanumantha Rao said Lingam Devender alias Devendra was a home guard in Hyderabad. Devendra was arrested in a realtor kidnap case at Golkonda police station limits in Hyderabad in 2022 and subsequently, he was dismissed from the service.

Rao said that Devendra and three others kidnapped the boy for a ransom of Rs 50 lakh over a financial dispute between him and Gopi Krishna.

The four-member gang went to Gopi Krishna’s house on Wednesday afternoon and enquired about him. The gang kidnapped the boy who was playing near his house. An hour later, the accused called Gopi Krishna and demanded Rs 50 lakh for the release of the boy. They also threatened that they would kill the boy if he failed to pay the ransom.

Based on the complaint from the boy’s mother, the police formed four special teams and rescued the boy, and nabbed the kidnappers. Police said the investigation was underway to establish the illegal activities of the accused and the financial dispute that led to the kidnap of the boy. The rescued boy was reunited with his parents.