The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Kidnaps for ransom: police bust plot

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Wednesday, Nov 04, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Kidnaps for ransom: police bust plot

Staff Reporter

Surrendered naxalite nabbed; weapons and cash seized

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Big catch: Commissioner’s Task Force DCP V.B. Kamalasan Reddy showing weapons, cash, mobiles and SIM cards seized from a Janasakthi naxalite-turned-kidnapper in the city on Tuesday. —

HYDERABAD: A surrendered naxalite from Kurnool, who allegedly extorted Rs. 25 lakh by abducting a highway contractor recently and planned similar kidnaps for ransom in city, was caught by the police on Tuesday.

Three weapons, 12 live rounds, one lakh rupees and a Tata Spacio vehicle were seized from S. Venkata Ramana, 29, the Commissioner’s Task Force DCP, V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, told reporters. Ramana was already charged with an involvement in a murder while working with Janashakti naxalite group, and after surrendering before the police extorted Rs. 3 lakh from two irrigation project contractors at gunpoint with his associate Dommar Ravi, the DCP said.

The duo targeted, Pradeep Reddy, a coordinator of KMC Constructions laying four-lane highway at Kurnool. They abducted the contractor and his driver from a bar threatening them with firearms in Kurnool town on October 22. From there, the kidnappers took them to Arvakuru village in neighbouring Anantapur district, rang up the company management demanding Rs. 1 crore ransom but finally agreed to set the duo free on payment of Rs. 25 lakh.

They took the coordinator and the driver to IndusInd bank in Kurnool town and waited in a vehicle. The construction company employees came there, withdrew the money and handed over to the kidnappers.

Later, Ramana came to city and planned to make a re-run of such abductions but was caught by the Task Force (North) team on a tip-off.

Ramana joined Janashakthi group when he was 17-years-old and worked as courier for Sheshanna dalam.

In 2000, the dalam leader Sheshanna anticipated split in the party and joined People’s War Group.

He left a revolver, two tapanchas and some ammunition in the custody of Ramana.

Since then, Ramana avoided Sheshanna and surrendered before the police a year later not revealing that he possessed the firearms given by Sheshanna.

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