Faridabad Police saves three men from kidnappers; two held

Faridabad Police on Saturday arrested two history-sheeters after a two-hour-long car chase, while trying to save three men whom the suspects had kidnapped. Two of

Faridabad Police on Saturday arrested two history-sheeters after a two-hour-long car chase, while trying to save three men whom the suspects had kidnapped. Two of the associates of the suspects, who were also inside the car, managed to escape arrest, said the police.

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According to the police, they received a call from an advocate at the police control room, informing that four men have kidnapped two traders from the sabji mandi area in Dabua. He shared the car’s registration number and told the police that the kidnappers have headed towards the forest area. The police said that they later found out that the kidnappers had also arrested a third person from Faridabad, who was also present inside the car.

Anil Yadav, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that they immediately formed teams and sent crime investigation agency of Sector 48 in three directions. “The crime units took out the details of the car owner and set the number on surveillance. The mobile location was traced to village Bhakri in Faridabad, which is close to the forest area on Faridabad-Gurugram Road,” he said.

One of the crime units located the car of the kidnappers, a Maruti Swift, and tried to intercept it. However, when the car did not stop, the police rammed their vehicle into the car and forced it to stop.

The police said they rescued three men, two of whom are traders dealing in paneer (cottage cheese) and have shops in the sabji mandi. They used to deal in cash regularly and are in their early twenties, said the police, adding that the other victim, was a manager at a crusher zone. Although the victims knew the kidnappers separately, they, however, did not know one another, said the police.

Yadav said the two of suspects who were arrested have been identified as Karan and Lokesh of Faridabad. The police have recovered three countrymade pistols, eight live cartridges, one iron rod and a swift car from their possession. Two of their associates, Kuldeep and Sehdev, had fled the spot before police could arrest them.

A case under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 506 (criminal intimidation), 342 (wrongful confinement), 365 (kidnapping), 379 B (snatching) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 25-54 of Arms Act was filed at Dabua police station

During investigation, it was revealed that on Saturday, at around 1.30am, when one of the victims, Sunny Kumar, who works in a crusher zone as a manager, was busy with his work, the suspects asked him to board their car and took him from towards the forest area near Pali village. Two of them took him at gunpoint and three of them thrashed him and threatened him for life, said the police.

ACP Yadav said that they took Kumar to the forest area and tied him with a rope to a tree and stuffed cloth in his mouth. Later, they left him alone in forest area and asked him to think about how he can arrange money for his release.

The two other victims narrated their ordeal to the police. One of the two victims, Pradeep Kumar, was repairing his motorbike on Saturday morning around 11am when the four suspects came and forced him into the Swift car. When his friend Hariom objected, they also kidnapped him at gunpoint and took both of them to the same place where the suspects had kept the other victim. They assaulted with him sticks and iron rods and asked them to arrange ₹50,000 for release.

Kumar said the suspects assaulted them and threatened them not to make noise. He said they were shocked to see another man tied with a rope. The suspects then asked all three to board the car. As they were being taken to another location, the police spotted the car and rescued them.

The rescue operation went on for almost two hours, said the police. Three of the victims were admitted to a private hospital for treatment as they had suffered physical injuries from the assault.

Yadav said these suspects are all history-sheeters and have been jailed several times for kidnapping, attempt to murder, theft and forgery cases.