Mumbai: In a swift operation carried out by the Thane railway police, a two-year-old boy, kidnapped from nearby KEM Hospital, was rescued in several hours from the clutches of the abductor, while he was fleeing on the Tutari Express. The accused, Amol Udalekar, 42, had befriended the child's family during their stay outside the hospital and later took the boy along on the pretext of a stroll, said the police.
Family near KEM Hospital as mother in ICU
According to the FIR, the child’s mother Antima was admitted to the ICU of KEM Hospital due to respiratory issues. Her husband, Ajaykumar Harijan, 25, who hails from Shastrinagar, Surat, and currently resides in Bhiwandi, was staying with his mother and two children, in an open area near the hospital’s old building.
On the night of September 16 around 9.30pm, Harijan discovered that his two-yearold son was missing when he returned after visiting his wife. His mother informed him that a man, who had been frequently playing with the child over the past few days, had offered them a food parcel and taken the child away on the pretext of a stroll. Despite searching the hospital and surrounding areas, the child could not be located, prompting Harijan to file a complaint at the Bhoiwada police station.
According to the police, Udalekar was nabbed following a tip-off – received by the railway control room at CSMT – reporting a suspicious man traveling with a child in S-2 coach of the Tutari Express, which runs between Dadar and Sawantwadi. Acting promptly under the guidance of senior inspector Archana Dusane, a team, comprising officers Dhumale, Tajne, head constable Gopal, and constable Tichkule, apprehended the suspect late night at the Thane station.
Kidnapped child rescued; suspect in police custody
During interrogation, it was confirmed that the child had been kidnapped from the premises of KEM Hospital earlier that evening. A case had already been registered against Udalekar under section 137(2) [related to kidnapping] of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and he has been handed over to the Bhoiwada police for further probe. Following the rescue, the child underwent a medical examination and was then placed under the care of the Janani Ashish Charitable Trust in Dombivli.
Investigation revealed that Udalekar had planned to flee to his native village in Sindhudurg. Police are currently probing his background and motive behind the abduction.
(To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/)
