Tiruchi
A car-borne gang which allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old boy here on Wednesday evening abandoned the minor and the vehicle hours later and escaped after sensing police teams were in hot pursuit.
The minor was playing with his bicycle in front of his house situated in the Cantonment area when the gang which came in a car allegedly abducted the boy. Police sources said the kidnappers reportedly made a call to the boy's family members demanding a hefty amount as ransom.
Acting swiftly based on information provided by the minor boy’s family about the kidnap, the police sounded an alert to all check posts falling within its jurisdiction besides constituting special teams to apprehend the kidnappers and rescue the boy. Information about the kidnap was also flashed to police personnel of neighbouring districts such as Pudukottai, Dindigul and Karur, Commissioner of Police J. Loganathan said.
The police teams immediately got into the task of sifting video grabs generated from the surveillance cameras installed in the locality where the boy was kidnapped. The teams ascertained the colour of the vehicle used for the crime and its model from the video grabs. Information about the colour of the vehicle was flashed to all the check posts.
A policeman noticed a car of the same colour in Somarasampet area a few hours later and the vehicle was proceeding towards Tiruchi. He immediately alerted his counterparts deployed at the checkpost along the Vayalur road. Acting on the information, the police personnel tried to stop the car at the checkpost. However, the vehicle sped away prompting the police to sound an alert. Patrol vehicles began to chase the car which went into the Ramalinga Nagar area.
Sensing that they could be intercepted by the police, the gang members abandoned the vehicle and the boy and took to their heels. The boy was rescued and the vehicle used for the crime was confiscated. Commissioner of Police Loganathan said the registration number of the seized vehicle was found to be fake. Based on the engine and chassis number, the police teams managed to get hold of the original registration number and the owner of the car. Mr. Loganathan said the vehicle owner had been traced. Further investigation was on to apprehend the culprits and establish the motive behind the kidnap, he added. The Cantonment Police has registered a case under IPC section 364-A (kidnapping for ransom).
