KOCHI: In a dramatic rescue operation, police freed a Kozhikode youth who was abducted and held captive for two days over a financial dispute involving an online transaction. The victim, identified as 22-year-old Saurav, a resident of Keezhpayyur, Meppayyur Road, Kozhikode, was reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday from an apartment near CUSAT in Kalamassery by a five-member gang.
Following a complaint from Saurav’s friend, Kalamassery police registered a case and launched an investigation. The police later arrested one of the accused, Muhammed Hashir, 21, of Perambra, Kozhikode.
According to P V Baby, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Thrikkakara, the gang abducted Saurav after he failed to hand over Rs five lakh that had been transferred to his bank account by one of the accused. “The money was part of a transaction where Saurav was instructed to withdraw and deliver the cash. However, he did not hand over the money as directed, which led to the abduction,” Baby said.
Saurav was confined at multiple locations for two days, during which the gang allegedly issued death threats and demanded Rs 5 lakh as ransom. “Our top priority was to ensure Saurav’s safety. We worked closely with his family, who agreed to cooperate in facilitating a trap to apprehend the accused,” Baby said.
Acting on police instructions, a family member contacted the gang and agreed to hand over the money at a location in Meppayyur. Hashir arrived at the location with Saurav to collect the ransom. However, police officers lying in wait managed to arrest Hashir and safely rescue Saurav. The police also recovered Rs 3.6 lakh, which had been arranged by Saurav’s family.
Police suspect that the gang has links with hawala rackets operating in Kochi and Kozhikode. They are also probing whether the funds transferred into Saurav’s account were part of a larger online fraud scheme.
“A detailed investigation is under way to track down the remaining accused and uncover the full extent of the network. We have identified other members of the gang,” Baby added.
The rescue operation was led by sub-inspector Sebastian Chacko, and included SI Shameer, ASI Binu, and civil police officers Mahin Aboobacker, Arun Surendran, and Libin Kumar, with support from Kozhikode Rural Police.