Man posing as sadhu tries to kidnap boy in Balongi, held

After going door to door seeking alms, the accused, Ajay, lured the boy witha banana, before gagging him and putting him in his bag

A 35-year-old man, posing as a sadhu complete with a jhola (bag), was on Friday arrested for attempting to kidnap a four-year-old boy after luring him with a fruit at Behlolpur village in Mohali’s Balongi.

The accused, Ajay of Doraha, police were informed, had driven up on a motorcycle wearing a robe like those of sadhus and visited several homes in and around the village asking for flour and dal, before spotting a group of children playing. He then tried to lure the boy by offering him a banana, gagging him when he came close and trying to hide him in his bag.

The child’s mother, alerted after hearing him cry, rushed out of her house and hung on to the bag, forcing Ajay to flee.

The police were informed, and after a manhunt of more than an hour, cops found Ajay hiding behind a stack of bricks at a construction site. “The accused was arrested and will be produced before a court on Saturday,” said Manphull Singh, station house officer, Balongi. The police have registered a case under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with life imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code.