VISAKHAPATNAM : The city police Friday arrested a 19-year-old youngster in connection with the kidnapping of nine-year-old V Ramesh near Gopalapatnam here on April 28. The arrested was identified as L Ramakrishna, a native of Etcherla village in Srikakulam district and a resident of Appalanarasaiah Colony in Pendurthi.
DCP (law and order-II) Ram Gopal Naik told newsmen that Ramakrishna was an Intermediate dropout and shifted to Visakhapatnam in search of a job. For several months, he worked as a courier boy, but quit the job with a view to make easy money by resorting to crimes.
On April 28, Ramakrishna was roaming on a bike when he saw Ramesh and another kid hitch-hiking to their house in Gopalapatnam. While dropping them home, the youth decided to kidnap the boys for ransom. The same afternoon, he visited Gopalapatnam again and found the kids playing outside their residence. When he offered them a ride on his bike, Ramesh expressed his willingness. But, the other boy cried out loud stating that he wants to go home.
Ramakrishna abducted Ramesh and took him to his rented flat at Appalanarasaiah Colony in Pendurthi. He fed the boy, tied him up with shoe laces and gagged his mouth with a cloth. To avoid suspicion, he told his neighbours that the boy was his relative.
Meanwhile, Ramesh’s parents searched for their kid till night and lodged a complaint with the police, who launched a search operation for the kid at railway station, bus terminals and other areas.
The next day morning, the accused locked up Ramesh in his flat and went out to get food and make a ransom call to his parents, whose number he attained from the boy. However, Ramakrishna’s neighbour grew suspicious on hearing the boy crying and alerted the cops, who rushed to the spot and rescued the kid by breaking the doors open.
Upon noticing the police, the accused fled the scene. However, acting on a tip-off, the police arrested him Friday.