Twenty-year-old serial kidnapper arrested after third failed attempt

PUNE: A 20-year-old labourer from Uttar Pradesh, who attempted kidnapping twice in the past, failed again in his third attempt and was arrested by Pune city police Crime Branch.  

The accused was identified as Vikas Rambhavan Chavan, a resident of Khadda Buzurg in Padrauna taluka of Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh. He worked as iron grills (centring) worker. 

Acting on tip-off received by ACP Sameer Shaikh, a team led by Police Inspector Deepak Nikam of Unit 3 nabbed Chavan in Manjri on Thursday. 

The cops were investigating the kidnapping of two-year-old Pushkraj Sachin Dhanwade, who was kidnapped from outside his home in Wadachiwadi on Saturday around 8.30 pm and then abandoned on Sunday early morning as police and local residents launched a massive search in the area. The accused had managed to escape from there. 

DCP (Crime) Shirish Sardeshpande said, “He had kept a watch on the child and then kidnapped him. After abandoning the child, he kept on fleeing and finally we arrested him on Thursday. Investigations are on to find out if he alone planned the kidnapping or he had accomplices. He had earlier also failed in two kidnapping attempts. We have learnt that he has few cases including that of molestation in UP.”

The investigating team included Assistant Police Inspector Sandeep Deshmane, PSI Ajay Mehetre, PSI Sanjay Gaikwad, PSI Kiran Adagale, ASI Dattatreya Garud, constables Anil Shinde, Kishore Shinde, Deepak Mate, Pravin Tapkir, Mehboob Mokashi, Ramdas Gonte, Santosh Kshirsagar, Shakil Shaikh, Macchindra Walke, Gajanan Ekbote, Wilson D Souza, Sandeep Rathod, Atul Sathe, Sandeep Talekar, Sachin Gaikwad, Kailash Salunke, Kalpesh Bansode and Sagar Toradmal. 

FAILED KIDNAPPINGS
- February 21: Accused Chavan allegedly unsuccessfully attempted to kidnap a six-year-boy from Wadki near Hadapsar. He was taking away the child in an autorickshaw pretending to be his relative, when the driver suspected him near Hadapsar and he fled.  
- March 1:  Chavan had lured Arya (11) into a trap, but was unsuccessful in the kidnapping attempt.