Kidnapped Madurai boy rescued in five hours

A school boy, who was kidnapped by a gang, which demanded Rs. 1 crore ransom, here on Monday evening, was rescued within five hours in Pudukottai.

“The boy is safe. The police in Pudukottai chased the accused,” Superintendent of Police, V. Balakrishnan, told The Hindu .

The police said the 13-year-old boy was whisked away in a car seconds after he got down from the schoolbus on his way home at Natchathira Nagar on the Madurai city-Madurai rural district police border.

The incident took place at around 4.15 p.m.

The boy, son of a wholesale vegetable merchant, is studying in class 9.

While the kidnapper demanded over phone Rs. 1 crore ransom, his father had agreed to pay Rs. 30 lakh.

The kidnapper had asked him to hand over the money at Aranthangi in Pudukottai district.

The parents alerted the police following which the police across south and central zones were alerted.

Meanwhile, the police also kept a watch on the movement of the kidnappers through their mobile signal.

Even as the boy’s father was on his way to hand over the money, Velusamy, Inspector of Police in Keeranur police station in Pudukottai district, had intercepted the car during a vehicle check at around 9 p.m., the police said.

The three fled the scene abandoning the vehicle and the boy.

The police opened fire when the three attempted to flee at Puliyur.

Acting on a tip-off, the police led by Mr. Velusamy conducting surprise check of vehicles intercepted the car at Puliyur.

Mr. Velusamy was injured when Ganesan, driver of the vehicle, attacked him with a deadly weapon, and the former opened fire.

While the three abductors managed to escape, Ganesan was injured.

He has been admitted to the Annal Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi.

A. Amal Raj, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tiruchi range, and E.S. Uma, Superintendent of Police, visited the police station and spoke to the boy.