An unidentified person allegedly kidnapped four-year-old Jaswith, in Mandapeta town in East Godavari district on Monday. The incident created panic in the town.
As there was no call from the kidnappers and the police could not make any headway in the case, family members expressed fear over the safety of the boy.
Jaswith’s parents, Venkata Ramana and Nagavalli, are both bank employees. They were staying in an apartment at Vijayalakshmi Nagar in Mandapeta. Jaswith was studying UKG in a nearby private school.
The miscreant allegedly kidnapped the boy around 6 p.m. while he was returning after playing in the ground and fled on a bike. A few locals chased and tried in vain to nab the kidnapper.
“We were entering our apartment building. One person enquired if power was there. Then he slapped me and before I could realise what happened, the accused picked up Jaswith, made him to sit on a motorbike and escaped,” said the boy’s grandmother Parvathamma.
Venkata Ramana lodged a complaint with Mandapeta Rural police, and the police swung into action.
Eluru Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police A.S. Khan, East Godavari district Superintendent of Police (SP) Adnan Nayeem Hasmi and Ramachandrapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police G.V. Santosh Kumar are monitoring the investigation.
Mr. Nayeem said that seven teams had been formed to trace the kidnapper and all efforts were being made to rescue the boy.
