The police arrested three dreaded criminals from Dhinkia village for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of three persons, one of whom was released later, late on Monday. They had demanded a ransom of ` 4 lakh.
The two kidnapped persons, including a contract labourer with the Essar Steel Project, were also rescued from the village. “Pravat Tarai and his nephew, Ratnakar Dalai, were rescued from a forest area,” Paradip police station IIC Anil Mishra
said.
Reports said the kidnappers had asked Taria’s wife to come to Mahala with the ransom amount. While she waited with the bag containing the money, five kidnappers approached her. The police, who closely followed her, rounded up the kidnappers and rescued the two persons. However, two of the abductors managed to escape.
The arrested have been identified as Anil Roy, Samir Swain and Tusar Mohanty of Paradip. They are involved in numerous criminal cases, including dacoity and snatching in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, the police said, adding that the motorcycle of Tarai was also recovered from Dhinkia.
Police said Tarai’s father had received ` 18 lakh from Essar Company towards compensation during land acquisition and the kidnappers had eyed that amount.