Patna: Police rescue youth kidnapped in group rivalry

PATNA: Police on late Monday night arrested one Mishal Ranjan (22) for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a youth at gunpoint from Patliputra roundabout. The youth was kidnapped in a SUV and taken to the basement of Maharaja Kameshwar Complex near Dak Bungalow roundabout and thrashed mercilessly.
The victim was identified as Ankit Singh (22). He is a resident of Siddeshwar Nagar under Patliputra police station area.
The incident took place around 8pm and police rescued him within an hour from the Maharaja complex.SSP Upendra Sharma and City SP (central) Vinay Tiwary rushed to the spot after the matter was brought to their knowledge.
An FIR was lodged with Patliputra police station on Ankit’s statement. At least three more named accused are absconding.
Tiwary said Mishal was detained from the spot immediately after rescuing Ankit. “More than a dozen of sticks, rods and other blunt weapons were seized from there,” he said.
In reply to a query, the SP said no firearms were recovered. “He was rushed to a hospital for treatment due to injuries received from thrashing. The matter was related to rivalry between two groups,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anshuman Singh, who accompanied Ankit when he was kidnapped, said Mishal was continuously threatening and abusing them on phone for helping a youth named Lucky whose high-end bike was forcefully snatched by the accused from a gym at Nageshwar Colony around a fortnight back. Anshuman is a resident of New Patliputra Colony.
“That bike was later recovered with the help of police but no action was taken against Mishal that time as his family is well connected to influential people. He continued to threaten us since then, leading to the Monday night incident,” he said.
Anshuman said at least 35-40 people, including Mishal and his relatives, had reached the spot in four separate SUVs.
“They first tried to drag me inside but Ankit pushed them apart. After that Mishal and other pointed gun at Ankit, hit him hard with pistol’s butt and dragged him inside one of the SUVs,” Anshuman said, adding Ankit’s cellphone was snatched and he received multiple stitches on his head.
Anshuman said he along with his one more friend rushed to Patliputra police station and informed the policemen about the incident. “We came to know from police that Ankit was taken to a marketing complex. We immediately reached there followed by the police,” he added.