A 4-year-old boy was rescued by the police on Friday morning and reunited with his family within 48 hours of his kidnapping from west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh. The police had on Wednesday registered a case of kidnapping based on his mother’s complaint.
Out for a stroll
The woman told the police that her son had gone for a stroll with her live-in partner Soneshwar Tigga. Mr. Tigga, who has been living with the woman for the past one-and-a-half years, told the police that he had gone drinking in Punjabi Bagh market and that the boy had been kidnapped from there by unknown persons.
Mr. Tigga told the police that the boy was kidnapped after he met one Sunil while drinking and the duo befriended each other.
Mr. Sunil revealed during interrogation that before meeting Mr. Tigga he hired a rickshaw from Punjabi Bagh central market, bought alcohol, and that he and the rickshaw-puller drank on the way to Pitampura.
The duo later bought more alcohol and returned to Punjabi Bagh, where he bumped into Mr. Tigga and the boy. All four left for the house where Mr. Sunil’s wife works as domestic help as he wanted to some money from her.
“Mr. Tigga and Mr. Sunil went inside to get the money. When they returned, the rickshaw-puller and the boy had disappeared,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar, adding that CCTV footage from the area confirmed the rickshaw-puller had kidnapped him.
CCTV footage
The police identified the rickshaw owner with the help of CCTV footage. He revealed that one Vinod had taken the rickshaw on the day of the incident and failed to return it in the evening. The police learnt that the rickshaw-puller had left for Bihar.
Team sent to Bihar
“A team was sent to Bihar but he had left the State suspecting police movement. All trains coming from Bihar to Delhi were thoroughly checked. On Friday morning, Vinod was apprehended from New Delhi railway station and the boy was rescued,” said Mr. Kumar.
Vinod told the police that he was in need of money and had plans to sell the boy.
