17-year-old Kerala boy, abducted by gold smugglers, found in Mangaluru
KASARGOD (KERALA): A Class XI boy, who was kidnapped allegedly by gold smugglers on Monday, is was released and sent home. Police said the boy called his mother from Mangaluru bus stand Thursday morning. The police have suspected the hand of a Qatar-based gang behind the kidnapping.
The boy (17) and his sister, a class 9 student, were on the way to school on a scooter when four men in a car waylaid them and forcefully took away the boy at Majeerpalla in Majeshwaram. Soon after, his family got a text message and a voice message from the boy.
The text message sent from the boy's phone read: "What I am asking is not hafta but the stolen money. The money you stole from me. Your son is with me. If you want to complain, go ahead. Along with it, dig a grave too."
The boy was made to send a voice message too: "Uncle has stolen from them. Return the money and they will free me, else they will not." The family received a message asking for a ransom of Rs 3 crore. The message has gone viral on social media.
District police chief James Joseph and assistant superintendent of police D Shilpa had formed a special team to investigate the kidnapping. Sources said the police were negotiating with the kidnappers.
Sources in the police said the gang had informed the family that 4.5 kg gold was stolen from them in Qatar. The officers alleged the boy's maternal uncle was involved in the illegal business.
However, the uncle reportedly told the police that he was pursued by the Customs Department, which took away the gold months ago. Since then, the gang had been after him for the gold.
On Thursday morning, the boy arrived in a bus at Pumpwell in Mangaluru. He took the phone of an autorickshaw and called his mother.
Kasargod police picked him up from Pumpwell and are now debriefing him.