Public thwart duo’s bid to kidnap girl, 12

TRICHY: The timely intervention of the general public foiled the attempt of a two-member gang to kidnap a 12-year-old girl in a village near Jayankondam in Ariyalur district on Monday night. The incident happened when the girl and her friends were playing in the streets in Idayar village around 7 pm on Monday. The girl was a Class VI student at a private school in the nearby area.
It was a motorcycle-borne man who first approached the girl and befriended her. He later offered to get her chocolates and asked her to come with him. Tempted by the offer, the girl decided to go with him and got on his bike. However, the man went past the shop where he was supposed to get her chocolates and his accomplice also joined him on the bike en route.

As he failed to stop the bike at the shop, the girl screamed for help. Witnessing the scene, her friends and her younger brother raised an alarm and informed her parents. Soon, the parents and neighbours began chasing the bike in other two-wheelers. On seeing the people following them, the duo sped away with the girl. The information was passed on to Udayarpalayam police which alerted the check posts at all exits of the area.

In a few minutes, the parents got information that the girl was found near Mankethi bus stop from where she was rescued and brought back home. The police have launched an investigation into the episode though they were yet to get any clue on the perpetrators. The parents told the police that they had no suspicions on anyone.