Ghaziabad:Five people were arrested on Thursday from Khoda area for kidnapping their friend for a ransom of Rs 15 lakh. Police arrested the accused within a few hours of receiving the complaint on Wednesday night and rescued the 20-year-old victim from a flat in Khoda located just within a km from his house.
One of the accused, who made the kidnapping plan, was the victim’s school friend and knew him for several years. The accused lured him to the flat on the pretext of introducing him to a woman and subsequently took him hostage.
Vinay Shukla, a resident of Master Park in Khoda and a dealer in textile products, complained to the Khoda police station late on Wednesday saying that his son, Saurabh Shukla, a second-year BCom student of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning was kidnapped after he allegedly went out with his friend around 7.30 pm. Subsequently, an FIR under IPC Sections 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) and 364 A (kidnapping for ransom) against unidentified persons was registered.
Shukla added, “After I returned home from my shop around 9pm, I got to know that Saurabh had gone out with his friend. When he did not return home in the next half an hour I dialed his number but could not speak to him. Someone was receiving the call but didn’t speak. Around 10 pm when I called again, a person picked up the phone and sought the ransom. He threatened to kill my son if I refused or informed the police.”
Soon after lodging the FIR, the police formed five teams, including SWAT and surveillance teams to crack the case.
Based on the electronic surveillance and information gathered during the investigation, police found the location of the kidnappers were in Navneet Nagar in Khoda which is very near to the victim’s house. On reaching the spot and upon breaking the door of a flat on the fifth floor of a building, police found Saurabh lying inside the room with taped hands and feet. The five accused were also arrested from the spot and a country-made pistol, a knife, rope and tape were recovered from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Harshit Thakur, a resident of Ganga Vihar in Khoda, Asif, a resident of Hapur, Rizwan, Sudhir and Sanjay, all residents of Bulandshahr.
SP (City) Abhishek Verma said, “Harshit Thakur, who knew Saurabh for several years, had brought him out on the pretext of introducing him to a woman. The victim was then taken hostage inside a flat in Navneet Nagar. It was Asif who demanded the ransom, while Rizwan made a video of Saurabh in order to blackmail him.”
The plotted the kidnap as he needed money, Verm said, adding that Harshit and Saurabh were schoolmates.
One of the accused, who made the kidnapping plan, was the victim’s school friend and knew him for several years. The accused lured him to the flat on the pretext of introducing him to a woman and subsequently took him hostage.
Vinay Shukla, a resident of Master Park in Khoda and a dealer in textile products, complained to the Khoda police station late on Wednesday saying that his son, Saurabh Shukla, a second-year BCom student of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning was kidnapped after he allegedly went out with his friend around 7.30 pm. Subsequently, an FIR under IPC Sections 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) and 364 A (kidnapping for ransom) against unidentified persons was registered.
Shukla added, “After I returned home from my shop around 9pm, I got to know that Saurabh had gone out with his friend. When he did not return home in the next half an hour I dialed his number but could not speak to him. Someone was receiving the call but didn’t speak. Around 10 pm when I called again, a person picked up the phone and sought the ransom. He threatened to kill my son if I refused or informed the police.”
Soon after lodging the FIR, the police formed five teams, including SWAT and surveillance teams to crack the case.
Based on the electronic surveillance and information gathered during the investigation, police found the location of the kidnappers were in Navneet Nagar in Khoda which is very near to the victim’s house. On reaching the spot and upon breaking the door of a flat on the fifth floor of a building, police found Saurabh lying inside the room with taped hands and feet. The five accused were also arrested from the spot and a country-made pistol, a knife, rope and tape were recovered from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Harshit Thakur, a resident of Ganga Vihar in Khoda, Asif, a resident of Hapur, Rizwan, Sudhir and Sanjay, all residents of Bulandshahr.
SP (City) Abhishek Verma said, “Harshit Thakur, who knew Saurabh for several years, had brought him out on the pretext of introducing him to a woman. The victim was then taken hostage inside a flat in Navneet Nagar. It was Asif who demanded the ransom, while Rizwan made a video of Saurabh in order to blackmail him.”
The plotted the kidnap as he needed money, Verm said, adding that Harshit and Saurabh were schoolmates.
Coronavirus outbreak
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Quick Links
Delhi Air PollutionHaryana Coronavirus Helpline NumberUP Coronavirus Helpline NumberBangalore TemperatureBhopal NewsCoronavirus in DelhiCoronavirus in HyderabadHyderabad RainCoronavirus symptomsCoronavirusDelhi TemperatureAditya ThackerayShiv SenaFire in MumbaiMumbai RainsArvind KejriwalBangalore FloodsSrinagar encounter
Get the app