Abducted 6-year-old rescued, childless couple arrested in Kolhapur

KOLHAPUR: The Kolhapur police rescued a 6-year-old boy, who had been kidnapped by a couple from the Sant Balumama temple in Admapur, within 48 hours and arrested the abductors. The accused have been identified as Mohan Ambadas Shitole (50) and Chhaya Mohan Shitole (30). Both are residents of Jawali village in Satara district.
Superintendent of police (SP) Shailesh Balkawade, while addressing a press conference on Tuesday, said, “As per the preliminary information, the couple kidnapped the 6-year-old boy as they did not have a child of their own.”
Earlier, on March 3, Sushma Rahul Naiknaware had taken her 6-year-old son along to the Sant Balumama temple in Admapur for a pilgrimage.
After the dev darshan, Naiknaware stayed with her son at the Bhakt Nivas. However, on March 4, when the woman went for her bath around 8.30am, a couple kidnapped her son and fled. As soon as Naiknaware realized that the child had been kidnapped, she lodged a complaint with the Bhudargad police station.
Balkawade said keeping in mind the seriousness of the abduction of a child from a pilgrimage site before the full moon, the police immediately activated the investigation system and seven investigation teams were formed.
“The suspects were tracked down after checking the CCTV footage from Admapur and surrounding villages. Investigation revealed that the suspect couple took the child to Miraj via Nipani, Chikkodi, Ankali and Mayakka Chinchani villages. After that, police reached the abductors’ house at Jawla in Sangola tehsil of Solapur district,” Balkawade said.
The police arrested the Shitole couple after the safe release of the child. The police said the couple admitted that they had brought the child from the temple's Bhakt Niwas as they were childless.
Meanwhile, SP Balkawade has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the investigation team for solving the case within just 48 hours.