Bengaluru-based hotel manager rescued, abductors held

Three persons were arrested today for allegedly abducting a Bengaluru-based hotel manager from the airport here and demanding a ransom of Rs 20 lakh, police said.

Ajay Verma, Ashok Kumar and Devki Nand were arrested for abducting Dhiresh Shah yesterday evening and taking him to a hotel in Ambala, police said.

The three accused, along with three others, forced Shah to call up his colleagues in Bengaluru and ask them to send Rs 20 lakh as ransom, failing which they would kill him, they said.

Chandigarh police was informed of the crime, and they traced the call to a hotel in Ambala, from where they arrested three of the accused and rescued Shah, who is here on a business trip, they said.

Three other accused, Kajal, Vijay Kumar and Amit are absconding, they said, adding, raids are being conducted to nab them.

A local court remanded the arrested accused to police custody till November 10, police said.

Police also recovered a country-made .32 bore pistol and two live cartridges from the possession of Verma.