Ramanagara: Man arrested after foiled kidnap attempt of 5-year-old girl; child found bound in godown

By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Sep 10, 2024, 2:47 PM IST

In Ramanagara, a 22-year-old man named Darshan was arrested after attempting to kidnap 5-year-old Rekha during a festival. Residents and police quickly located Rekha, bound in a godown, and arrested Darshan, who had planned to use the ransom for drug addiction.

A man has been arrested in Ramanagara after an attempted kidnapping of a 5-year-old girl was thwarted by residents. The young girl was found bound with duct tape in a godown but was safely rescued within hours of her disappearance.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening at a Ganesh pandal in Ijoor town, located about 50 km from Bengaluru. The child, Rekha, was at the festival with her father, Santhosh. While Santhosh was occupied with festival arrangements, Rekha was playing with other children nearby.

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When Santhosh realized Rekha was missing, he immediately alerted the local villagers. A police officer present at the pandal also joined in the search. During this time, Santhosh received a threatening call from an anonymous number demanding ransom for his daughter’s release. The caller warned him not to involve the police.

Residents, along with the police, quickly sprang into action. CCTV footage revealed Rekha walking towards an under-construction building with a young man, later identified as Darshan, a 22-year-old painter from the area. This clue led the search party to a nearby warehouse where Rekha was found bound with duct tape and her mouth covered, reported TOI.

The community's swift response was crucial in the rescue operation. They provided valuable information that led to the discovery of Rekha and the arrest of Darshan, who had intended to use the ransom money to support his drug addiction.

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Darshan, who had recently moved to the area, had planned to demand Rs 2 lakh for the girl’s release. After hiding Rekha in the godown, he tried to blend back into the crowd at the festival. However, local youths, suspicious of his behaviour, questioned him and eventually led them to the godown where Rekha was held. Darshan was apprehended by the youths before the police arrived.

The police have now taken Darshan into custody and are continuing their investigation into the case.

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