LUCKNOW: In a major breakthrough, sleuths of
Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UPSTF) on Friday safely recovered 21-year-old Gaurav Haldar, who was kidnapped from Gonda on January 19. Haldar was recovered from
Greater Noida.
The police have arrested three accused in connection with the crime. The arrested persons have been identified as Dr
Abhishek Singh, Nitesh, and Mohit. Role of a lady doctor who honeytrapped Gaurav has also come to the fore.
Additional director general of police,
STF,
Amitabh Yash who led the probe said that victim Haldar was pursuing Bachelor of Ayurveda Medical & Surgery (BAMS) and was honeytrapped by a lady doctor who was a friend of Abhishek Singh.
"On January 18, the lady doctor called Haldar from a phone belonging to a passersby outside his hostel in Gonda and then Abhishek along with his aides abducted him," said Yash.
Then first ransom demand of Rs 70 lakh was made on January 19, on the phone of Haldar's father Nikhil who works at a clinic in Bahraich. Later, on the basis of surveillance, their location was traced in Gautam Buddha Nagar following which Noida unit of STF was alerted, said Yash.
Thereafter, again the captors called the victim's father and demanded Rs 70 lakh on Thursday and asked the money to be delivered in Lucknow, said the STF.
Based on the information, a trap was laid near Expressway police station and a sedan was intercepted which suddenly opened fire on the STF team. However, another team overpowered the passengers of the car from which Haldar was recovered along with the captors.