Abducted Chandauli doctor rescued, 4 arrested

Those arrested have been identified as Rajeev Singh, Suresh Yadav, Abhishek alias Satyam Patel and Prateek Tripathi – all
local residents.

Singh sustained a bullet injury in his right leg during the encounter with police. He has been admitted to hospital and doctor stated his condition to be stable. Raids are being conducted to trace another accused, Akash Singh, who had tipped off the abductors about the doctor.

“We are interrogating the arrested persons,” said Superintendent of Police, Chandauli, Amit Kumar.

Police said on May 31, Maurya was returning from his clinic, when the kidnappers stopped his motorcycle. Two kidnappers alighted from their car and forcibly dragged the doctor inside the car and fled from the spot. Local residents who were present at the spot immediately informed Maurya’s family and police.

Police said about an hour later, the kidnappers made the ransom call from Maurya’s cellphone to his father, Ghanshyam Singh, and demanded Rs 70 lakh for his release. The kidnappers made a few more calls and regularly changed their locations, police added.

A case was lodged against unidentified persons at Balua police station on charges of kidnapping.

On Monday night, police came to know that Maurya’s father had informed the kidnappers that he could arrange Rs 40.5 lakh only. Police kept a vigil on the family members.

Early on Wednesday morning, the kidnappers asked Maurya’s family members to hand over the ransom amount at Bilarideha crossing, said police.

When Maurya’s family reached the spot, police followed them. “After Maurya’s family paid the ransom to abductors and returned, police started following the kidnappers and after covering some distance tried to stop them. However, the kidnappers sped away as police followed them,” said Additional Superintendent of Police, Chandauli, Daya Ram.

Police said finally at a point, the kidnappers got down from their car and started running. “They opened fire on the policemen who were chasing them. Police also retaliated during which one of the kidnappers, Singh, got injured. Yadav who was caught there informed them about the doctor’s location. Police raided a house at Temra Crossing from where Maurya was rescued,” said a police officer.

Police also caught the two other accused, Patel and Tripathi, from the place where Maurya was kept, the officer added.