A man was left terrified when he received a phone call from kidnappers on Sunday, informing him that his 17-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were in their possession. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs10 lakh, instructing Deepak Kumar Gupta, 49, to deliver the amount to a specified address.
Message included a threat of bombs tied to children’s stomachs
The chilling message included a threat, stating that bombs had been tied to the children’s stomachs, and the kidnapper claimed to have the remote control. The ominous demand said that if Gupta wished to see his children alive, he must comply with the instructions and bring the specified amount to the designated location.
Gupta, who runs a footwear shop in Naigaon, immediately alerted the police about the missing kids and the threat call he had received at around 8 pm, followed by demands from different phone numbers.
FPJ
Three teams deployed to rescue the children
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Pournima Chougule Shringi and Assistant Commissioner of Police Padmaja Bade apart from activating their core informer network and electronic surveillance system, deputed three teams to fan the entire area. Based on a tip-off, one of the teams managed to safely rescue both the children who were found locked inside a tenement in the Meenakshi Nagar area of Kashimira at around 10pm. Five hours later, the two kidnappers Jaiprakash Gangaram Gupta alias Sonu, 23 and Vipul Shashikant Tiwari, 20, both residents of Kashigaon in Mira Road, were also apprehended from the Madhuban area of Vasai East at around 1am. Police personnel, Ashok Patil, who was part of the team, was injured while chasing the kidnappers who made a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to escape after spotting the police team.
“The entire operation was swiftly conducted confidentially by our personnel who had to dress up in various attires to avoid being spotted by the kidnappers and mingle with people to get clues about the children and the kidnappers from some of the locations which were suspected hideouts,” said a senior police officer.
Kidnappers arrested in Vasai East
Meanwhile an offence under sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 364(a) (kidnapping for ransom), 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, to commit extortion), 342 (whoever wrongfully confines any person shall be punished with simple imprisonment) and 120 (b) (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code against the kidnappers who have been remanded to police custody till December 29, after they were produced before the court on Monday.
Investigations were underway to ascertain if ransom was the motive or if there was any other reason behind the crime as the complainant hails from a humble background. Assistant Police Inspector Vinod Wagh has been assigned as the investigation officer in the case.
