On Sunday police rescued Howrah girl Soumita Panja (19) from the clutches of kidnappers who abducted Panja on Saturday night while she was returning from the local market.

“Four people - Bikash Santra, Sourav Koley, Raju Panja and Anirban Ditdar - have been arrested in connection with the incident. Main accused Bikash have been remanded to police custody for four days. Others have been remanded in judicial custody for four days,” a police officer said.

Bikash claimed that Soumita, resident of Kalikundu Lane in central Howrah, had an affair with him and used to demand expensive gifts. He allegedly had to seek loans from the bank to meet her demands. He told police that he kidnapped Soumita in anger, to repay bank loans through the ransom money.

“Check my call list and messages from Soumita. She often used to blackmail me for diamond jewellery and other expensive gifts for herself and her mother, ”Bikash shouted as police led him away from the court.

Around 9 pm on Saturday, Soumita and her mother Geeta Panja, was returning from the local market, when a car swerved from behind and dragged the girl inside, while pushing her mother aside.

But the car sped away before Sourav could get in and he was left behind. Caught by the mob, he was thrashed black and blue before being handed to officers of Bantra police station.

After interrogating Sourav, cops learned of the people responsible behind the incident and the place where Soumita was to be kept.

Accordingly, a joint team of Bantra and Joypur police raided Kultikari village early on Sunday morning and rescued Soumita.