Jharkhand govt official found near Ranchi school a day after ‘abduction’

A Jharkhand government official was found near a residential school in Namkum on Thursday morning, over a day after he was allegedly kidnapped from Ranchi’s Kahrsidag village by unidentified people.

Manoj Kumar, a 58-year-old labour enforcement officer, was forced into an SUV at Kharsidag while he was returning home from work on Tuesday evening. Further details about the official’s abduction and subsequent release will be known after he is questioned, said deputy superintendent of police Amit Kachhap.

Kumar, who hails from Gumla, lives with his family in Ranchi’s Kadru locality.

“Manoj went to work on a motorcycle around 12 noon on Tuesday. Although I suggested that he take the car, he said travelling in the interiors of Kharsidag would be easier by bike,” said his wife, Pushpa Gupta.

Pushpa began worrying when Kumar did not return home even after 8 pm. “After a while, a colleague received a Whatsapp text from Manoj stating that he was being kidnapped,” she said.

Kumar sent two messages – the first to his colleague’s mobile phone and another to his brother – through the course of the evening.

The first message read: “Four people are forcefully taking me in a Bolero from Kharsidag. My bike is parked near the puffed rice factory.”

The second message to his brother was more desperate. “Bhai, I am trapped. Save me,” it read. Subsequent attempts to contact Kumar went in vain as his phone was switched off.

Kumar was reportedly involved in an altercation with a tribal leader a few days ago, during which the latter threatened him with dire consequences.

A labour enforcement officer handles registration of labourers for government projects, among other functions.