CHENNAI: An auto driver from Madurai had to run from pillar to post to lodge a complaint with city police following the disappearance of his younger brother, staff of an IT firm in Chennai, after he was summoned to a police station two days ago. Even as the family decided to approach the police commissioner by late evening, the missing man was produced in the Guindy police station.
But the mystery is yet to be solved, as the family claimed they received a call demanding ransom of Rs 3 lakh for returning their kin alive.
Curiously, it is also learnt that the person in question, an official from Ramanathapuram, had identified himself with a different name while interacting with the family.
According to Samsudeen, the auto driver, his brother Umar Gayam (34), who was working as HR executive in an IT firm, went missing on Wednesday and his mobile phone remained switched off. “He was asked to come to Chitlapakkam police station on Tuesday. He went there on Wednesday to meet an official named Thangaraj, but went missing thereafter. Officials at the police station, however, said they were not aware of having summoned Umar,” he said.
Meanwhile, Samsudeen received a call from one Thangaraj to pay a ransom of Rs 3 lakh to free Umar Gayam, threatening to kill him otherwise. Samsudeen said he was earlier quizzed by Thangaraj, who claimed to be a sub-inspector attached to Uchipuli police station, Ramanathapuram district. The latter had said he was probing an alleged case of kidnap by one Vijayaraj, an acquaintance of Samsudeen and his youngest brother Ajees, a few days prior to that at Tallakulam in Madurai. The cop took details of Umar Gayam with whom Ajees stayed.
“My brother spoke to me from his mobile phone and told me to come to Eekattuthangal which Thangaraj also insisted before disconnecting the call. Thereafter, we could not reach my brother’s mobile. It appears that he is in someone’s custody, could be Thangaraj. I came here to rescue my brother,” said Samsudeen.
“We told police that we have no ties with Vijayaraj, who reportedly eloped with a girl from Ramanathapuram. He used to stay with my brother for a couple of months when he came looking for a job. My brother threw him out before it was too late,” he added.
After Chitlapakkam police denied having any knowledge, the family approached Taramani police to lodge a complaint of kidnap. However, police did not accept the complaint. After their day-long attempt to lodge a complaint failed, the family decided to petition the police commissioner S George. Around this time, they received information that Umar Gayam was produced at the Guindy police station.
It later came to light that the actual name of the official from Ramanathapuram was Nagaraj. It is not yet clear why he gave a wrong name to the family.
Express too contacted Uchipuli police station, but officials denied that a person named Thangaraj was attached to the station.