Angul: Police Sunday arrested seven persons in connection with the sensational abduction of a contractor here.
The police also seized five mobile phones, a Mahindra Bolero and a bike from the accused Abdul Rafique Khan (24) alias Raja, Raja Khan (19) alias Asique, Sk Sarif (19) alias Raina of Fakirabad in Kendrapara, Rohit Pradhan (26), Sudarshan Loha (30) of Manikpur village, Madan Pradhan (28) of Bairagpali village under Kishorenagar police limits, Sujit Mukhi (20) alias Tandu of Hulurisingha Ghasi Sahi under Angul police limits.
The mastermind Sk. Latif alias Rocky, Sk Arsad of Kendrapara and Nehru of Athamallik are absconding, said additional superintendent of police (ASP) Jadunath Hansda in the presence of sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Rabi Narayan Deo and Angul IIC Subhash Sahu at a press meet.
Hansda said the blueprint of the abduction was prepared in a jail while the high drama witnessed after the incident ended in a mosque.
Contractor N Mangal Bhanu, a resident of Turanga village, was abducted from the town bus stand July 26. The police, after a hectic search, rescued him July 28.
Mangal during his stay in Angul jail after being arrested for smuggling contraband came in touch with history-sheeter Sajid Khan. Sajid, who has links with the notorious Hyder gang, managed to secure the details of Mangal’s business before the latter’s release from jail.
Sajid also had links with Latif, Rohit, Sujit and Sudarshan who were lodged in Athamallik jail.
Barring Sajid, all others were subsequently released on bail. From jail, he asked Latif to extort Mangal. As per a plan, Latif called Mangal to the town bus stand from where he abducted him and his friend Sanatan Pradhan. Raja and Arsad assisted him in the abduction.
The abducted duo was taken Nakchi forest in Kishorenagar. The abductors beat them up the whole night and took them to Sundargarh in a hired Bolero the next day. They hired another Bolero after the driver refused to move ahead after reaching Sambalpur.
The accused then made phone calls to Mangal’s wife Sila and Sanatan’s family members and demanded Rs 20 lakh and Rs 30 lakh respectively from them as ransom. SP Brijesh Kumar Ray formed special squads after Mangal’s wife lodged a police complaint.
The abductors again telephoned the two families for ransom and asked them to handover the amount to Sujit near Hulurusingha bridge. A police team swooped down on Sujit at the site and arrested him. As instructed by the police, Sujit informed Latif over phone that he had received the money.
Latif then released Mangal and Sanatan and sent Raja to receive the money from Sujit. Raja arrived in Angul and was in a mosque with his cousin Sk. Sarif and Raja Khan when a police team arrested them. PNN