A 35-year-old man who kidnapped a one-year-old girl was caught and handed over to the police by residents of the Khadegolwali area in Kalyan on Sunday. The victim, Jaishree, was playing outside the house when the accused, Azad Dende Khan, kidnapped her. Jaishree’s mother, who was in the kitchen when the incident occurred, scanned the entire neighbourhood when she realised her daughter was missing.

After a while, one of the neighbours claimed to have seen Jaishree with a hawker, said police inspector AK Pawar, Kolsewadi police station.

The locals reached the spot and managed to rescue Jaishree. During interrogation, Khan confessed that he had kidnapped the infant in order to push her into begging, added Pawar.

The police are investigating if this was an isolated case or whether there is a begging racket going on in the area.