Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police arrested four persons Friday evening, including a lady journalist working for a private web channel here for allegedly kidnapping and torturing a businessman and his associate.
According to a police official, the two victims were kept hostage and tortured for a couple of days by the accused persons. Families of the victims had to pay extortion of Rs 50,000 to the kidnappers following which the duo was released.
The businessman from Barbil town in Keonjhar and his associate from Kendrapara in this district were engaged in the transportation of minerals. The duo was called to Bhubaneswar by the abductors August 5.
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Subsequently, the miscreants kept the two businessmen hostage at a secluded place in the outskirts of the state capital. They demanded the extortion in lieu of release, the police official added.
The businessmen were beaten by the accused as the duo expressed their inability to pay ransom money.
Acting on an FIR lodged at Nandankanan station by family members of the victims, police arrested the four. Further probe is underway.
PNN