Ludhiana: Posing as ‘Good Samaritans’, duo snatches rag-picker’s baby

The accused had approached the rag-picker’s family in Ludhiana on the pretext of donating woollens and food for the children. When the mother was going to collect it, one of the accused insisted that she bring the infant along, a woman sitting inside the car, while handing over a bag of clothes to the mother, snatched the infant and the duo sped away.

Posing as Good Samaritans, a car-borne woman and her male aide kidnapped a rag-picker’s four-month-old son from the Grain Market near Jalandhar Bypass on late Friday night. The accused had approached the rag-picker’s family on the pretext of donating woollens and food for the children.

The infant who was snatched from his mother from the Grain Market near Jalandhar Bypass in Ludhiana on late Friday night. Ludhiana police have not ruled out the role of some childless couple or human-trafficking gang. (HT File)

On being informed, the Salem Tabri police lodged an FIR against unidentified persons and initiated investigation. The car used by the kidnappers has been captured on close-circuit television cameras (CCTV) in the area.

According to the police, the kidnappers used a Maruti Suzuki Alto, bearing a yellow number plate. However, the registration number was not captured in the cameras. The kidnappers were seen driving towards Bahadurke road.

Rupa Devi, the mother of the newborn, stated that she was in her shanty with her eight children when a man, appearing to be in mid-40s turned up there. He had covered his face with a mask. The man told her that a “Madam” wanted to donate some woollens and food for the children.

“As I went near the car, I saw the woman sitting in the rear seat of the car. She asked me to bring the infant closer as she wanted to see him. Meanwhile, her male aide sat on the driving seat and ignited the engine. The woman handed over a bag of clothes to me. The moment I took the bag, the woman snatched my baby from my hands. Before I could do anything, the accused sped away,” she added.

She raised the alarm following which onlookers gathered there and informed the police.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, north) Dharmpal Juneja said separate teams have been formed for the arrest of the accused. He added that it seems to be a well-planned conspiracy as the accused had parked their car in a dimly-lit area to avoid been caught on CCTV.

A case under Sections 363 (punishment for kidnapping), 365 (abduction) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against unidentified persons. He said the role of some human-trafficking gang or childless couple cannot be ruled out.

Infant’s sisters had seen man twice during the day

The infant’s family hails from Katihar of Bihar and has been living in the city for the last two decades. Kanhaiya, the newborn’s father, is a rag picker. Kanhaiya said at the time of the incident, he was sorting the rag, which he and his children had collected, to sell.

According to the two sisters of the kidnapped infant, they had seen the male accused taking the rounds of the grain market twice during the day. The man had first come in the morning and later in the afternoon.

The girls stated that at the night, when he turned up at their shanty, they sensed something amiss and asked their mother to not take the infant outside. But he kept insisting that she take the infant out, and on seeing the two sisters object to it, he asked them to stay inside.