Gang of seven held for kidnapping Kerala businessman

MYSURU: A few days after Kerala-based fruit merchant was kidnapped and his SUV robbed, Hunsur police have successfully solved what proved to be a tricky case by arresting a gang of seven youngsters in connection with the event on Monday.
Cops arrested the kidnappers from Mangaluru for abudcting Zubair, a native of Thalassery in kKeralaand later demanded ransom for his release.

The gang had taken the merchant to Mangaluru from Hunsur where they had kidnapped him along with his SUV car,. The youngsters had come to Hunsur in another car and were waiting for the businessman to arrive.

Zubair along with his driver Rahim and cleaner Sandesh was on the way to Bengaluru from Thalassery when the gang of seven youngsters intercepted them near Karnakuppe Gate on Hunsur-Virajpet road around 1am.

The gang had made vain bid to stop them few kilometre earlier. Zubair later said to have given Rs 1.5 lakh cash that was with him to cleaner Sandesh before the gang stopped them near the gate. Both cleaner and driver were alighted from the vehicle around 1am. Then a few in the gang boarded Zubair vehicle and drove him away to Mangaluru via Sakleshpura.

Rahim, according to police, contacted a relative of his, who nwas a cop, following the incident and on his advice Rahim contacted Hunsur rural police around 4 am the same day. Hunsur police, led by inspector KC Poovaiah formed a team and launched search for him. Hours later, cops team identified the kidnappers near Mangaluru. In the meantime, the youths had demanded money from his family twice for Zubair's release.

The arrested youngsters were familiar to Zubair and had, in fact, earlier worked for him. Police claimed the accused detached from Zubair over financial matters and wanted to settle score against him.

The arrested have been identified as Mohammed d Mustaq (28), Mohammed Sesan, 21, Mohammed Bashir, 29, Ummar Farooq, 29, Mohammed Sesan, 25, Mohammed Asif, 26, and Ibrahim Kaleel, 25.

Police said that all seven members of the gang were first-time offenders.