CHENNAI: Within 12 hours, the Chennai city police have rescued a 51-year-old businessman who was kidnapped by a gang on Tuesday morning.
“Ganesan, a resident of Karikalan Nagar in Red Hills, lives alone and owns a lorry transport business,” said H M Jayaram, Additional Commissioner of Police, Law and Order (North). “After undergoing a medical surgery in his leg, he was being supported by his servant. Around 8. 30 pm on Monday, a policeman ‘P Pandiyan’ came to his house and told him that there had been a complaint filed against him and that he should visit the Red Hills police station. The policeman took him in an Innova car.”
Ganesan’s maid had left the house when the incident occurred. When she returned home on Tuesday morning, she found the door closed and informed Ganesan’s relative of the situation and also told him that Ganesan’s mobile phone was switched off.
“Meanwhile, his relative Ramachandran got a call from Ganesan’s mobile phone, demanding `25 lakh as ransom for his release,” said Prem Anand Sinha, Joint Commissioner of Police (North).
“Realising that Ganesan had been kidnapped, Ramachandran approached the Red Hills police station. A special team of 30 police personnel was formed. The case was registered filed around 11 am on Tuesday,”
The kidnappers had demanded that the ransom money - `25 lakh - be delivered at a desolate
place in Vandalur.
Meanwhile, tracking the mobile number of Ganesan, the police planned to nab the culprits without giving room for any suspicion.
“Acting on the police advice, Ramachandran took `7 lakh in cash and waited at the spot in Vandalur around 9 pm on Tuesday,” the Joint Commissioner added. “Around nine men approached Ramachandran. While they were speaking, the police team surrounded the culprits and nabbed them.”
The arrested men took the police to the place where Ganesan was hidden. The team rescued the businessman.
While one Kandan escaped from the police, the remaining were arrested and identified as S Vadakarai Sakthi (49) of Red Hills, V Suman (39) of Thiruporur, K Madan Kumar (27) of Ennore, M Ganesh (37), a native of Naidupet in Andhra Pradesh, A Ashok (35) of Chromepet, S Rajesh (21), S Satheesh Kumar (25) and S Siva (25), the trio hailing from Red Hills.
The police seized knives, sickles, two cars and a police uniform from the gang.
It was Suman who called at Ganesan’s house in police uniform.
The kingpin Sakthi was involved in 13 cases including a murder case reported in Puzhal police limits in 2005 and three ‘attempt to murder’ cases.