MADURAI
A small failure in execution of the plan to kidnap Kerala-based businessman Jose Mathew, 60, and his personal assistant Mathai, 65, on Sunday and the culprits not noticing a mobile phone of one of the victims continuously sending the location details came in handy for Madurai district police in rescuing the victims within 12 hours.
Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan on Thursday said failure of the gang to flee from the scene with both their vehicles along with the victims and their vehicle helped the police act swiftly and in the right direction.
“When passers-by trapped one of the gang members along with his vehicles, alerted by the alarm raised by the victim’s driver, we came to know about the gang involved in the crime within no time,” Mr. Manivannan said.
When the driver Karthik of Villapuram gave details of the kidnappers and the vehicle, it became easier for the police to alert all check-posts in the districts within 30 minutes. Not only the neighbouring districts, but also the entire South and Central zones were alerted.
“Virtually, the kidnappers could not escape with the victims. Besides, the gangsters had not noticed that a mobile phone of Mr. Mathai was kept on as it was getting charged in the car. So, this helped the police track the movement of the car with the help of mobile phone tower location,” the SP said.
This was possible because the police got all vital details within a short span of time. “When Mr. Mathew told the kidnappers that he did not have ₹2 crore demanded as ransom for their safe release, they sought ₹30 lakh and let him off to arrange the money,” the SP said. However, Mr. Mathew came into police custody.
With the police mounting pressure from different directions, the kidnappers first had to abandon Mr. Mathew and his car in Sivaganga district. Then another car was secured at A. Mukkulam in Virudhunagar district.
By that time, the police got the identity of all the accused involved in the case and searched their houses. The police also used pressure tactics on the accused through their family members that led to abandoning Mr. Mathai too.
“Our concern was more to safely rescue the victims rather than nabbing the accused. Now that the victims have been rescued and the identity of the accused is known, we will soon apprehend them,” Mr. Manivannan said.