Six held for abducting couple over Hanuman coin 

BARGARH:  Police on Tuesday arrested six persons for allegedly kidnapping a couple over the lure of Hanuman coin in Jharbandh. The victims, Dharamsingh Naik of Bhainsadarha village in Padampur block and his wife Binita, were rescued by police unharmed from Surkula forest near Dudukidadar on the day. 

The accused are Nehrulal Naik (53), Tikeswar Satnami (28) and Kishanlal Naik (27) of Beltukri in Nuapada district, besides Suresh Naik (24), Kishore Bag (30) and Ramprasad Naik (35) from Jharbandh. 
Police said suspecting that Dharamsingh was in possession of a Hanuman coin which had mysterious powers, the accused reached his house on July 11 in a four-wheeler. 

They forcibly dragged Dharamsingh, who was engaged in cutting wood in front of his house, to their vehicle. When Binita protested, she too was dragged inside the vehicle and abducted along with her husband.

The accused took the couple to Bilaspur in Raipur and brought them to Surkula forest. They threatened Dharamsingh with dire consequences if he did not give them `60,000 and the Hanuman coin. Dharamsingh repeatedly tried to convince the accused that he did not have any such coin but all his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The accused also threatened the victim’s brother Hiralal Naik over phone and demanded the money and coin in order to release the couple. After receiving the call, Hiralal lodged a complaint with police. In the meantime, the accused removed the four-wheeler in which they had carried out the abduction and shifted the couple to another vehicle. 

During investigation, police traced the couple and raided the forest where they were being held captive. The couple was rescued and all the accused arrested. The vehicle was also seized. The six accused were booked under section 120(B), 364(A), 368, 506 and 34 of the IPC and produced in court.