KASARGOD: Treachery and betrayal among gold smugglers have started hitting their homes. A Class XI student has been kidnapped by a gang in Manjeshwaram. Police suspect gold smugglers did it to get back the money stolen from them. But four days on, there is no trace of the 17-year-old boy. The family has got a text message and a voice message from the boy.
The text message sent from the boy’s phone reads: “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 which has gone viral on social media.
District Police Chief James Joseph and Assistant Superintendent of Police D Shilpa have formed a special team to investigate the kidnapping.
The boy and his sister were on their way to school on a scooter when a Maruti 800 car waylaid them last Monday. Four men forced the boy into their car, the sister, a Class IX student, told the police.
A police source 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.
Police said a big gang operating from Qatar was behind the smuggling and kidnapping. The family has been getting messages from other phone numbers too, the police said. The gang had set a deadline of one month for the family to arrange the money.