Kidnapping for ransom foiled, siblings rescued after 3-hour chase

New Delhi, June 29

An 11-year-old girl and her three-year-old brother were abducted while seated in their parents’ car, which had been left with the engine running, police officials said on Saturday.

The children’s parents went inside a sweetmeat shop to buy some sweets when a man, pretending to be a parking worker, came and sat inside their car. The incident occurred near Heera Sweets on Vikas Marg around 11.40 pm on Friday night.

The accused told the children that their parents had asked him to park the car in the parking lot but he sped away. He also threatened the girl by showing her a hammer and telling her to remain silent, the police said.

“The accused subsequently demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh. Negotiations were conducted through the phone of the victims’ mother, which was with the daughter,” an official said.

Upon receiving the alert, the police swiftly responded, activating rescue teams. “Police officials, along with the victim’s mother and father, led the pursuit, supported by two additional teams from the Shakarpur police station using technical surveillance to track the vehicle,” the officer said.

“The situation escalated with about 20 police vehicles engaged in a high-speed chase. After nearly three hours, the kidnapper abandoned the vehicle with the children inside and fled,” a senior police official reported. The children were found safe and promptly reunited with their parents. Interestingly, valuables such as jewellery and mobile phones were found intact inside the car.“The kidnapper had no opportunity to take anything due to the intense police pursuit,” another officer explained.