Police rescue boy, boas from kidnappers

Five-member gang abducts 17-year-old for ransom

The Sampigehalli police rescued Manjunath and two red sand boa snakes, weighing four kg each by arresting five persons - Ayub Khan (37) from KG Halli, Nawaz Pasha (30) DJ Halli, Sameer Pasha (24) Ayazulla (22), both from Hegdenagar and Nasir (27) Umarnagar.
The suspects had kidnapped Manjunath along with the snakes on June 6 from Gurraladinne village in Bagepalli. The police recovered Rs 75,000 and two bikes from them, Commissioner of Police Shankar M Bidari told reporters here on Tuesday.
Coming to know Doddagangulappa of Gurraladinne had two sand boas, the suspects hatched a conspiracy to kidnap his son Manjunath and the snakes. They had planned to sell the boas to black magic practitioners as it is believed that the snakes could help in locating hidden treasures.

Managing to lure Manjunath to meet them at Paragod Cross along with the snakes, the suspects took the boy and the snakes with them forcibly to Bangalore in a car. They locked up Manjunath in a glass breaking unit owned by Nawaz Pasha in Hegdenagar. They called up Doddagangulappa and demanded Rs 10 lakh for releasing his son and the reptiles, threatening to inform police about his possessing the snakes in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act. Doddagangulappa buckled and paid Rs one lakh.

But, the suspects did not release Manjunath after getting Rs one lakh and demanded that he pay them an additional Rs 9 lakh, threatening to kill Manjunath. A distraught Doddagangulappa informed the police, who decided to lay a trap for the kidnappers.

Trapped

As agreed with the kidnappers, Doddagangulappa arrived at an underpass at Bellalli Cross around 1.30 am on Tuesday. Ayub Khan, Nawaz Pasha and Sameer Pasha came in a car and started talking to Doddagangulappa. Police, who had concealed themselves nearby surrounded them and arrested them. On their information, they raided the unit in Hegdenagar and rescued the boy and the snakes and arrested Ayazulla and Nassi, who were on guard.

Apparently, the suspects had decided to kill the boy after getting the ransom to keep their identity secret. Police are contemplating to take action against Doddagangulappa for illegal possession of the snakes.

The Commissioner awarded a cash prize to the rescue team, headed by DCP (North East) Ravikanthegowda.