Police rescue college girl

One of the kidnappers shot in the leg, caught; his associates escape

With their pistols blazing, the police on Saturday fired at a gang of abductors before rescuing a 17-year-old college girl from their clutches. At the end of it all, the cops managed to capture one of the abductors after felling him with a bullet to his leg. The accused, Karthik, was later admitted to Victoria Hospital where he is undergoing treatment. The rescued girl was handed over to her parents’ custody.

Briefing newspersons, Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said, “the accused resorted to kidnapping for ransom. The police have secured vital details about them and are confident of bringing them to book soon.” The Commissioner requested the media not to use the name of the victim.

The victim had left for Bhagawan Mahaveer College as usual at 8 am in an autorickshaw from her house in Seshadripuram. Within minutes the accused followed her, accosted the autorickshaw, pulled her out and sped away in their car. They called up Sanjay Mehta, the victim’s father, from her mobile phone and demanded Rs one crore as ransom for the release of his daughter.

A shocked Mehta informed the police who constituted six teams and swung into action. After some time, they contacted Mehta and directed him to bring the cash to different places like Kengeri, Jnanabharathi, Nelagadarenahalli, Kanakapura Road, Jayanagar and Banashankari. Mehta set out with the cash, but was confused as the accused went on changing the places.

Cash bag

Finally, they directed him to meet them at Sarakki Junction. When Mehta reached the destination, the accused directed him to move further to SBM Bank in JP Nagar. They told him to leave the cash bag in front of the bank and one of their boys would come and pick it up later. It was almost late in the evening when this conversation took place. When Mehta was about to leave the bag, the accused called him up and said that they had traced some other people with him and hence he should meet them at a place which they would disclose soon.

Mehta received the final call at around 9.30 pm when the accused asked him to meet them near Vijayanagar bus stop. Soon, Mehta and police teams reached the spot. As had been decided, the accused came in a posh car. Mehta spotted the car and went to hand over the bag. Two of the accused were standing near the car, while three others were inside with the victim.

When Mehta was about to hand over the bag, police inspector S K Umesh rushed and tried to catch the two accused. Umesh opened fire when one of the accused tried to attack him with a knife. The bullet pierced through the leg of Karthik who fell down, while other accused fled. The police chased them. However, the accused smelt danger, abandoned the girl in Chandra Layout and absconded. The police took the girl into their custody and got a complaint registered with the Vijaynagar police.

When grilled, Karthik disclosed names of other accused as Murali, Sheekhar, Murthy, Inu and Boda. The police suspect the hand of the auto rickshaw driver in the case, said Bidari adding, the public need not panic as the police are capable of handling such developments. The Vijayanagar police later said, the same gang was reportedly involved in the abduction of a youth, Chiranjeevi, on May 18. The victim was freed on May 20.