Surat: A 36-year-old businessman living in posh Ghod Dod Road area was kidnapped early on Thursday morning, but mysteriously released after nearly 10 hours.
The kidnappers had even demanded Rs 3 crore ransom from his family and threatened to kill him if they alerted the police.
Businessman Komil Dudhwala was going on his bike to the gym at around 7am when a white car first knocked him down in the narrow lane. After he fell on the road, four kidnappers forced him to their car which had no number plate and sped away. Police recovered CCTV footage of the kidnapping from a nearby shop.
They later made calls for Rs 3 crore to his father Anwar. After the family alerted the cops, police tried to track the location of Dudhwala but the kidnappers were continuously moving in the car and changing their locations. They kept moving for around 60 km and went to Kim, Mandvi and then returned to Kamrej where they dropped Dudhwala. He took a rickshaw to reach home but police tracked him in Varachha.
It is suspected that the kidnappers carried out a recce of his movements as they knew about the time and targeted him in a narrow lane where not many people are present in the morning.
All four had their faces and heads covered.
The family members had left home with the ransom and attempts were made to constantly engage the kidnappers into conversation to ensure that Dudhwala was safe, sources in police informed. It is not clear if the money was paid.
The Dudhwala family is into the business of luggage and school bags.
The brothers live in the neighbouring house in Karimabad Society.