JOIN USTahsildar who ‘bought’ infant for 2L booked for kidnap
A special tahsildar from Tamil Nadu and his wife who “bought” an 11-month-old infant for Rs 2 lakh were among five arrested in a case of kidnapping when the baby was alone at her house in Mallathahalli, West Bengaluru, on Wednesday.
The arrested have been identified as Anbu Kumar (43), a resident of Jnanajyothinagar in Mallathahalli, Manjunath (19) and D Yogesh Kumar (21), both residents of KP Agrahara, T Thomas Pius Arul (55), the special tahsildar, and his wife G Aruna Pius (45), residents of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, the police said. The police are yet to arrest a few more men involved in the case.
Men rode off with child
According to the police, the incident happened between 8 and 8.30 pm on Wednesday when Rani (24), the mother of the baby, was out searching for a new house. When she returned, her daughter was missing. On inquiring with her neighbours, she learnt that two men on a motorcycle went away with her child.
Rani suspected Anbu Kumar’s hand since he had once asked her to hand over the baby to him since she had lost her husband. Rani had refused to give away her child.
CCTV comes in handy
She filed a complaint of kidnap with Jnanabharathi police station. A special team was formed under the Kengeri Gate assistant commissioner of police who scanned video footage from surveillance cameras and identified the culprits.
The police team on the very next day traced the culprits to Omalur in Salem district in Tamil Nadu and arrested the five, including the couple.
The police then learnt that Anbu had sold the baby girl to the couple who were taking the infant to their hometown in Toothukudi after paying Anbu Rs 2 lakh.
“Though the accused don’t seem to be involved in other child-lifting cases, we are interrogating them to be doubly sure. More people are involved and they will be arrested shortly,” said deputy commissioner of police (West) Ravi Channannavar.
The police have also seized a Tata Sumo and a motorcycle which were used for the crime.