Kidnapped youth found dead in Varuna canal

An 18-year-old youth, allegedly kidnapped on December 12, was found dead in the Varuna canal on the outskirts of the City, on Wednesday.

The body was found in a decomposed state in the canal, near Jayapura on HD Kote Road. Identified as Sanjay, son of Tararam, a pawn broker and a resident of Hebbal in Vijayanagar, he was studying second year PU in Commerce, at the Vidyashram Pre-University College in Jayalakshmipuram.

Police Commissioner K L Sudheer told mediapersons that the youth might have been hacked to death after being kidnapped. Sanjay’s uncle Pemaram said that the former had left home on the evening of December 12 and around 9 pm, Tararam received a call on his cellphone, from his son.

Though Sanjay did not speak to Tararam, an unidentified person spoke to him in Hindi, asking his whereabouts.

Tararam received calls every 10 minutes, during the course of which he was informed that Sanjay had been kidnapped. The kidnapper demanded a ransom between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 50 lakh and the family was making arrangements for the same, the Police Commissioner said.