The 50-year-old real-estate businessman from Butchaiahpeta in Visakhapatnam district, who was reportedly kidnapped on February 17, was rescued from the clutches of his abductors after a 20-hour operation, from a house where he was held hostage at Chodavaram.
P. Lova Raju, native of Seethaiahpeta under Butchaiahpeta mandal in the district was kidnapped from Narsipatnam when he went there for a business deal, and the kidnappers had demanded ₹5 lakh, as ransom for his release.
Based on a complaint filed by Raju’s brother-in-law Ch. Pydikonda on Monday, Chodavaram police led by Inspector Y. Murali Rao and Sub Inspectors P.N. Murthy and Eswar investigated the case and rescued Lova Raju on Monday night. The police also arrested seven persons and launched a manhunt for one more accused in the kidnap case.
According to the police, Raju’s friend Y. Jagga Rao with criminal intention had hatched a plan to kidnap Raju for ransom. On February 17, Rao made a phone call to Raju and invited him to Narsipatnam for a real-estate deal. Believing the words of Rao, Raju had gone to Narsipatnam to see a piece of land but Raju was kidnapped by Rao and seven others and was taken in a car and held hostage in a room on the outskirts of Chodavaram.
The kidnappers then made a phone call to Raju’s brother-in-law Ch Pydikonda and demanded ₹ 5 lakh as ransom for release of Raju.
Acting on a tip-off, the police nabbed one of the accused when he went to an ATM to withdraw money and later the police rescued Raju and nabbed six more persons. The police also seized two cars, one bike, ₹6,500 in cash and mobiles phones from the gang. The arrested were Y. Jagga Rao, K. Bennibabu, U. Sivaprakash, D. Ramesh, M. Chakravarthi, T. Sattibabu and S. Suresh and one more accused G. Appa Rao is at large.
