A second-hand car dealer, J. Wasim Akram (24), of S.S. Colony, was kidnapped by three unidentified persons who came for “test driving” a car on Tuesday afternoon. However, the abductors released him after cautioning him to repay Rs. 50,000 due to a person from Aranthangi in a car dealing.
The police said that the trio had come to the dealer around 1.30 p.m. on the pretext of of buying a car. Later, after having zeroed in on one of the vehicles, they sought to go for a test drive of the car. Akram had driven the car from his premises.
After sometime, one of the three persons wanted to drive the car. When Akram changed the seat, he was threatened by the trio to repay Rs. 50,000 he had got from one Bahadur of Aranthangi in Pudukottai district. As Akram said that he did not have the money with him immediately, they switched off his mobile phones and drove the car towards Pudukottai. It was only then Akram realised that the trio were Bahadur’s men. Bahadur had given Rs. 1 lakh in four instalments to Akram in December 2014-January 2015 as advance for a car. However, he could not mobilise necessary funds for buying the car and the deal did not get through.
Akram claimed that the inordinate delay had caused loss for him in his business. However, he repaid Rs. 50,000 to Bahadur and reportedly asked him to wait for the remaining money.
Meanwhile, as Akram did not return for long, his father, S. Jawahirullah (64), alerted the police. However, by then the car had crossed the district border.
The police said that the trio took Akram to Bahadur in Pudukottai, who also warned him. Later, they dumped Akram and his car and escaped from the scene.
A team of city police, led by Thideer Nagar Inspector of Police M. Kannan (in-charge of S.S. Colony) brought him back home.
S.S. Colony police have registered a case of kidnapping for ransom and are on the lookout for the accused.
