In a remarkable and rapid operation, the Pimpri Chinchwad Police and Saswad police station (Pune rural police) successfully rescued a kidnapped 14-year-old boy and apprehended three individuals involved in the abduction. This daring rescue mission unfolded following an extensive search operation and a ransom demand of Rs 30 lakhs.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Tejas Gyanoba Lokhande (21) and Arjun Suresh Rathod (19), both hailing from Marunjigaon, along with Vikas Sanjay Maske (23) from Shivarwasti, Bhumkar Chowk, Wakad.
The incident came to light when Head Constable Mohammad Ghaus Nadaf of Crime Branch Unit Four received information about the abduction of a 14-year-old boy, the son of a scrap dealer in Tathwade, at approximately 7 am. In response, the Pimpri Chinchwad police swiftly formed multiple teams to locate the abducted child.
During their investigation, the police uncovered crucial CCTV footage capturing the moment of the kidnapping, depicting the child being forcibly taken into a vehicle. Simultaneously, the kidnapped boy’s uncle received a chilling ransom call from an unidentified caller, demanding Rs 30 lakhs and issuing threats of harm to the child if the ransom was not paid.
The Pimpri Chinchwad police promptly analyzed the phone used to make the ransom call, enabling them to trace the approximate location of the suspects. Acting on this information, they alerted the Saswad police and the Local Crime Branch of Pune rural police, notifying them that the suspects were heading towards Saswad from Tathwade. The Saswad police responded swiftly by setting up a strategic blockade (nakabandi).
In a critical juncture, the Saswad police successfully intercepted a suspicious vehicle carrying the three suspects, thereby rescuing the kidnapped boy. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of three mobile phones, a pellet pistol, a chopper, a saw, and a hammer, as confirmed by DCP (Crime) Swapna Gore of Pimpri Chinchwad Police.
DCP Gore elaborated, “Investigations revealed that the suspects, driven by the need for funds to establish a hotel business, targeted the boy due to his father’s involvement in the scrap trade, believing they could secure a substantial ransom. However, the police acted swiftly, rescuing the child just two and a half hours after the abduction.”
The success of this operation can be attributed to the seamless coordination and dedicated efforts of multiple police units, including officers and personnel who played pivotal roles in ensuring the safe recovery of the kidnapped child.
