Plot to kidnap doc foiled in Rohtak; mastermind killed

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, October 20

The police freed the driver of a leading local doctor, whom the kidnappers had abducted mistaking him for the doctor, after an armed encounter during early hours yesterday. The mastermind behind the plot was killed, while three of his accomplices were arrested. Four policemen were injured in the encounter.

Rohtak SP Pankaj Nain said Ravi Pandit of Rohtak, and Devraj, Shibbu and Saleem of Delhi, plotted to kidnap a leading local doctor for ransom. “They kidnapped Birender Singh, doctor’s driver, on the night of October 18 and also took away a Creta car. When they realised they had kidnapped the driver instead of the doctor, they changed the plan and demanded Rs 1 lakh ransom for driver’s release. They later lowered the demand to Rs 50,000 and conspired to kidnap the doctor when he comes to pay the ransom,” he said.

On being informed about the matter, the police laid a trap to nab the kidnappers. A team was constituted under Inspector Manoj Verma, who went in plain clothes to pay the ransom. As the kidnappers approached him, he signaled the police team accompanying him. The kidnappers, who had come in the doctor’s Creta car, tried to flee. The police team chased them. The kidnappers hit the police car, due to which both vehicles overturned and fell in the fields.

ASI Amit and head constables Sanjay, Yashbir and Dinesh were injured in the accident. In the meanwhile, the kidnappers tried to run away with the driver.

They fired at the police team when it tried to stop them. The police also fired at them and freed the driver. Two kidnappers Ravi Pandit and Himanshu were arrested on the spot. The injured were admitted to the local PGIMS where Ravi Pandit died.

“This morning, we got a tip-off that the other two kidnappers will leave for Uttarakhand from the Nangloi bus stand. A police party was promptly dispatched to Nangloi, from where Shibbu and Saleem were arrested,” the SP said, adding that several weapons have been seized from their possession.