KOCHI: The police probing the suspected abduction of a youth from the vicinity of the Aluva railway station have identified seven persons, including three who have been reported missing since Sunday.
Ernakulam Rural police chief Vaibhav Saxena said while everyone has been identified, whether it was a case of kidnapping or not will only become clear after interrogating the suspects.
An autorickshaw driver had on Sunday alerted the police about the alleged abduction of the youth by a group who was travelling in a Toyota Innova car. The police registered a case suo motu based on the driver’s statement and launched a probe.
The police found the car at Kaniyapuram in Thiruvananthapuram later in the day. Eyewitnesses reported seven people fleeing from the spot after abandoning the vehicle. The police found bloodstains inside the car. As per sources, two people from Thrissur who had rented the car to an ASI at Pathanamthitta AR camp have also been questioned. The ASI told the officers that the vehicle was rented for his NRI friend who recently returned from abroad.
“We have identified all the persons involved in the case. We know their whereabouts and police teams from other districts are after them too. Three of the seven are likely victims and four are abductors. However, we are yet to confirm whether it is a case of kidnapping. This is the most vital aspect in the case. We are yet to get any complaint,” Vaibhav said. The abductors and alleged victims may be known to each other and financial deals may be the reason behind the entire incident, he said. “That may be why all seven fled when the police chased the vehicle in Thiruvananthapuram,” Vaibhav said.
Duo who arranged vehicle arrested
Two Kollam natives who arranged the SUV used by the abductors and were part of the conspiracy were arrested on Monday. The arrested are Riyas Khan, 48, of Anchal and Anvar Abdul Sathar, 31, of Kollam. The Aluva police said an ASI with the Pathanamthitta Armed Reserve Camp had taken the vehicle on rent for his friend and the vehicle reached the duo’s hand through the officer’s friend. The police also suspect the abducted persons are migrant workers who had taken D5 lakh to supply goods, but were kidnapped after they failed to deliver the same. Meanwhile, though eyewitnesses’ statements indicate three people were abducted, Riyas and Anvar, who were privy to the conspiracy, have maintained only two were kidnapped. Curiously, no missing complaint has been received from the family of the allegedly abducted persons.