Minor boy kidnapped from UP recovered in Bihar

A seven-year-old boy Ayush Nigam, who was kidnapped from Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district on January 11, has been rescued from West Champaran in Bihar.

The kidnappers, who kept the boy at Valmikinagar in West Champaran, had demanded Rs 1 crore as ransom from the family for the safe release of the abducted boy.

Since West Champaran shares border with Nepal as well as Uttar Pradesh, it is considered a safe hideout for kidnappers, who appear to be active again after a brief lull.

The Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday recovered Rs 4 lakh, which was handed over to the kidnappers as the first installment of the ransom to the abductors.

 The main suspect Neeraj Shrestha was arrested from Nepal. The police also apprehended Raghav Yadav in whose house the boy was kept at Valmiki Nagar. "Two more accused Sonu and Rajesh, suspected to be involved in the kidnapping case, have also been arrested," said a police source.

Though the kidnapping industry, the only industry which flourished during Lalu-Rabri era in the 90s, was crushed when Nitish Kumar took over as Chief Minister in November 2005, but, of late, it seems the kidnappers are having a field day again.

 "Recently, there has been a spurt in kidnapping cases in Bihar with 38 cases (of kidnapping for ransom) being registered last year. Apparently, some of the kingpins of kidnappers' gang are out of jail. The West Champaran, having a large forest area and sharing border with Nepal as well as UP, is considered to be the kidnappers' safest hideout," said a senior police officer, who recently attended a meeting convened to review similar cases.