In a major breakthrough, the police successfully rescued a young man within 24 hours after he was abducted from Siliguri for a ransom of Rs 5 lakh. During a late-Tuesday night raid in Baghi Baghambarpur village under the Srinagar police station area, the police team liberated the victim and arrested five suspects, while a former village head (Mukhiya) remains at large.
Victim Rescued From Former Mukhiya’s Residence
The abducted youth has been identified as 25-year-old Azad Alam, son of Abdul Kalam and a resident of Banuchhapar Ward 29. Acting on a tip-off, the police recovered him from the residence of former Mukhiya Manoj Prasad. While Prasad managed to escape during the raid and is currently being pursued, the police successfully apprehended five other accomplices.
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Rajnish Pathak (Bharvalia Ward 5, Majhaulia)
- Amit Kumar (Banuchhapar Ward 29)
- Manish Kumar (Banuchhapar Ward 29)
- Jaiprakash Prasad (Srinagar area)
- Mohammad Aurangzeb (Srinagar area)
According to the police, Manish, Jaiprakash and Aurangzeb have prior criminal records, which are currently under detailed investigation.
The Abduction: A Bold Daylight Crime
Station House Officer (SHO) Mithilesh Kumar stated that Azad Alam supplies food and clothing to an Army canteen in Siliguri, where he resided with his brother, Sher Mohammad. On Tuesday morning, the accused forcibly pushed Azad into a Hyundai car and sped away. Although his brother witnessed the abduction from the terrace, the criminals had disappeared before he could intervene.
In a brief window of opportunity, Azad managed to call his father to report the incident. Following this, the father filed a formal complaint at the Banuchhapar police station, prompting immediate police action.
Technical Surveillance Leads To Rescue
Upon receiving the report, a technical team began tracking the suspects' mobile locations. As the signal moved toward Bihar, the police maintained close surveillance. Once the location was pinned to Baghi Baghambarpur village, the police cordoned off the area and conducted the successful raid.
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Ransom And Prior Threats
Investigations revealed that a day before the abduction, the accused had demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh from the victim’s father, threatening abduction or murder if the demand was not met. The father initially did not take the threat seriously. Following the incident, he informed the police that the kidnapping was motivated by a combination of mutual enmity and the ransom demand.
The Enforcement Team
The successful operation was carried out by a joint team including Banuchhapar SHO Mithilesh Kumar, Srinagar SHO Amit Kumar, Sub-Inspectors Jaishankar Dubey and Rani Kumari, along with reserve guard units from both stations.
Police are currently conducting ongoing raids to arrest the absconding former Mukhiya, Manoj Prasad and claim he will be in custody soon.