Juvenile kidnaps minor for Rs 3 lakh ransom, Rachakonda cops nab him in 4 hours

Hyderabad: Like any other innocent seven-year-old, Arjun was enjoying himself near the TSR Swimming pool in Meerpet Sunday afternoon little knowing that danger was lurking in the shadows. The threat to his life that was looming in the corner was in the form of a ‘juvenile kidnapper’.

It was another usual Sunday for the family of software employee Gurram Raju, (Arjun’s father), a resident of Badangpet. The noon in no time became one hell of a nightmare for the family when he answered a call, three hours after his only son, Arjun, went out to play.

Umapathi, who received the call, was informed that his son was kidnapped and he had pay Rs three lakh to get his son. He was also warned of dire consequences if he dared to call the police. However, undeterred Umapathi filed a missing complaint at Meerpet Police station, which resulted in special team investigating the case.

The cops collated intelligence inputs and tracked the kidnapper in three hours. The location of the kidnapper was identified was Almasguda, where the boy was kept.

Investigation revealed that, the caller was a juvenile studying in 10th class and addicted to vices. While returning from special classes, he noticed Arjun playing near the swimming pool. The ‘kidnapper’, on noticing that there was no adult around, invited Arjun to play with him and the boy obliged. Both of them went to the residence of the kidnapper at Almasguda. Later, the boy was taken to Prasannajaneya temple from where the kidnapper made the ransom call. Arjun had reportedly provided him the phone number of his father.

According to the complainant, the caller changed his voice to instill fear while demanding for ransom, which, if not paid, would result in the death of Arjun.

“I pleaded him not to cause any harm to my son and requested him to allow me to pay Rs 1. 5 lakh initially but the kidnapper did not agree. Surprisingly the kidnapper agreed for Rs 25,000 in cash and the rest by cheque,” the anguished father said after the three-hour mental agony ended, thanks to the swift action launched by the police.

The police were concurrently tracking the location of the caller. As the location did not seem far, special teams, headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sunpreeth Singh, reached the temple and rescued the boy.

A kidnap case under section 364 -A of Indian Penal code has been booked against the juvenile, who has since been taken into custody, said the police.