Uttar Pradesh cops rescue abducted lawyer from Rajasthan

Ferozabad (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 19 (IANS) With 20 teams at work, the Uttar Pradesh police rescued a lawyer from the clutches of kidnappers from Dholpur in Rajasthan, almost a fortnight after he had been kidnapped.

According to reports, Akram Ansari was kidnapped from the crowded Bhagwan Talkies intersection in Agra city in the evening of February 3. He was going home to Ferozabad after seeing his relative at a private hospital in Agra and had summoned a private taxi.

"I was getting late and since there was no bus available immediately for Ferozabad, I boarded a 'taxi' in which three men were already inside posing as passengers. After travelling for 10 minutes, the gang blind-folded me and drove to an unknown location," Akram told reporters after being rescued.

Two days later, on February 5, the advocate's family received a ransom call of Rs 55 lakh. Three more ransom calls were made to the family.

Additional director general of police (ADG) Ajay Anand of Agra zone, told reporters, "Since the gang was unknown and based in a neighbouring state, we decided to lay a trap. After negotiations, the ransom amount was brought down to Rs 15 lakh. After the fourth ransom call on February 16, Rs 12.50 lakh cash was paid to the gang in the forest of Gadi Bajna in Bharatpur district. The man who came to pick-up the cash bag was then tracked by 20 teams of policemen who were on 10 motorcycles and cars each. On February 17, our teams found the exact location where the lawyer was held hostage and we raided the place."

A special WhatsApp group was created to share live updates of the gang's movement. The team led by circle officer Chaman Chawda, with eight SHOs, 12 constables and surveillance team led by inspector Narendra Kumar, managed to arrest the kingpin of the gang, Ugrasen, 56, of Badi area in Dholpur district on Tuesday.

The police also arrested five more persons allegedly involved in the kidnapping including Ugrasen's wife Urmila, brother-in-laws Rakesh, 27, Mukesh, 22, and acquaintances Surender, 38, and Lakhan, 49.

Lakhan is a history-sheeter with eight FIRs against him.

The ADG said, "Lakhan was the one who contacted the advocate's family four times for ransom. Two more persons involved in the plot to kidnap-Samundra and Rakesh's wife Rekha-- are yet to be arrested. Our team is still searching for them. Ugrasen had kept the lawyer at his brother-in-law's home."

Police also said that they have recovered Rs 10 lakh cash, a mobile phone and four SIM cards used for ransom call. After the successful operation, ADG recommended reward of Rs 50,000 for the team which cracked the case.