Horror on outing: Siblings kidnapped with car as parents go to buy sweets

NEW DELHI: A nightmare unfolded for a businessman who had come to Delhi with his family from Gurgaon to enjoy some street food. His 11-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son were kidnapped in Shakarpur on Friday. The parents had left them in their vehicle near a sweet shop when the abductor drove the car away and later demanded a hefty ransom of Rs 50 lakh for their safe return.Police were, however, turned the tables on the kidnapper and rescued the children from Samaypur Badli within three hours even if the suspects managed to escape.

Police received information about the kidnapping at 11. 40 pm. A team rushed to the scene and met the parents at Heera Sweets on Vikas Marg. A police officer disclosed, "The family was returning to Gurgaon after enjoying street food when the children requested sweets. The parents were gone only for six or seven minutes. When they came out of the shop they found the car missing. The father received a phone call soon after in which the kidnapper demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for the release of the two children."
The child's father told the media later that the kidnapper insisted on the payment of ransom at any cost. "My daughter was in a panic and told us on the phone not to call the cops," the father said. He stayed on the phone continuously with the kidnapper.
Sagar Singh Kalsi, joint commissioner of police, immediately formed teams under the leadership of inspector Sanjay Gupta. One team accompanied the mother, another the father, while two other teams started pursuing the family car based on technical surveillance. The accused remained in contact with the father throughout.
After a three-hour, high-speed chase involving around 20 police vehicles covering over 80km, the kidnapper abandoned the car in Samaypur Badli with the children unharmed. Although the suspect managed to escape, the children were safely recovered and reunited with their parents.
"A few valuables, including jewellery and mobile phones, were also found intact in the car because the kidnapper had no time to take anything while being chased by the cops from different directions," Kalsi said, adding that raids were under way to track and apprehend the culprit.
When asked if this was a targeted kidnapping, an officer said that so far it appeared to have been impetuous. Upon finding the car running, the kidnapper had taken the opportunity to drive off with the kids.