Bengaluru businessman kidnaps 10-yr-old, demands ₹10-lakh ransom, arrested: Report

Jasimuddin Sheikh has been arrested for abducting a neighbourhood boy, citing financial difficulties; police swiftly traced him through phone and CCTV footage.

Published on: Jun 22, 2024, 17:00:11 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A 23-year-old aspiring businessman has been apprehended by Electronics City police for allegedly kidnapping a 10-year-old boy and demanding a ransom of ₹10 lakh from his parents, the Deccan Herald reported.

The accused enticed the 10-year-old with a cake and took him to his residence, where he brandished a knife and instructed the boy to remain quiet until his parents paid the ransom, the report said. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Identified as Jasimuddin Sheikh, originally from Jharkhand and residing in Pragathi Nagar near Electronics City, Sheikh moved to Bengaluru nine months ago with aspirations to establish a cloud kitchen after completing his hotel management degree back home. However, his venture failed to thrive, leading to financial woes, the report stated. Despite this setback, Sheikh reportedly maintained a lavish lifestyle and accrued significant debts.

ALSO READ | Pavithra hit Renukaswamy with slippers, police note says, indicating she was present at murder site

In a desperate attempt to settle his financial obligations, Sheikh hatched a plan to abduct a neighbourhood child. According to police, on June 17, around 6 pm, Sheikh enticed the 10-year-old with a cake and took him to his residence, where he brandished a knife and instructed the boy to remain quiet until his parents paid the ransom.

Following the abduction, Sheikh contacted the boy's parents later that evening and demanded the substantial ransom, prompting them to notify the police immediately.

Initially facing challenges in identifying the perpetrator, investigators utilized CCTV footage and traced the phone number used to contact the boy's parents, ultimately narrowing down the suspect's location.

ALSO READ | YouTuber Ajeet Bharti gets notice from Karnataka Police over Rahul Gandhi video

“The suspect booked multiple auto-rickshaws and kept moving around to avoid being traced. CCTV footage from the vicinity provided a lead,” an official told the publication, highlighting the swift arrest made within 12 hours of the complaint being lodged.

The police revealed that the boy recognized Sheikh from previous encounters in the neighbourhood, which may have contributed to his initial compliance with the suspect's directives.

Sheikh now faces charges related to kidnapping and extortion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.