Hyderabad: Hanumakonda police arrested three members of a four-member gang that allegedly kidnapped a minor boy for ransom, including two women, and rescued the child unharmed. One suspect remains at large.
According to police, the prime accused, Puri Padma, a former daily-wage worker at a catering unit in Brahmanawada, plotted the kidnapping over an unsettled financial dispute with her former employer, Ramana. Unable to recover the dues, she targeted a minor relative of Ramana to extort money.
Padma enlisted the help of her son Raju, her relative Srikanth, and her friend Jyothi to execute the plan. The gang forcibly abducted the boy from Hanumakonda’s Naeem Nagar in an auto-rickshaw and took him to Ashwapuram. They demanded ₹12 lakh from Ramana, threatening him through the boy’s mother.
The child was held at multiple locations across Bhadradri Kothagudem district and was reportedly subjected to psychological harassment during captivity.
While conducting vehicle checks on Mulugu Road, police intercepted the suspects as they attempted to flee. Padma, Raju, and Jyothi were taken into custody. Srikanth remains on the run.
All three arrested confessed during interrogation. The rescued boy was reunited with his family, ACP Narasimharao confirmed.
Inspector Macha Shivakumar, SI Kishore, AAO Salman Pasha, and their team were commended by the ACP for cracking the case.