Vijayapura police arrest six in kidnapping case, victim rescued

Vijayapura: Gandhi Chowk police have cracked a kidnap case of a youth, who was kidnapped on Friday. Six people are arrested in connection with the case. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday evening, SP Laxman Nimbargi said that Sahil Imamjafer Chapparband, 22, a resident of Kasturi Colony, Vijayapura, was kidnapped by some unknown persons on Friday.“Chapparband’s mother Mamtaz filed a complaint. We formed a team to crack the case. Based on mobile calls registered on Sahil’s mobile phone, the team got a clue on Sunday that he was kept near Ghataprabha, Belagavi district. We have arrested Gopal Yamanappa Madar, 28, Ningappa Bhutali, 27, Dasharath Somappa Madar, 21, Shivanand M Nandikolmath, 25, Sunil G Navi, 20, and Shivakumar S Hodatti, 23, all labourers,” he added.He further said, “Sahil and Mohammed Rafiq Noorsab Nadaf, who is also an accused in the case, were working respectively as a cooking assistant and a cook at Govt Hospital Vijayapura. The complainant’s native place is Narasalagi village in Basavana Bagewadi taluk. About two months ago, the complainant sold his 2 acres of land for Rs 26 lakh. Sahil informed Mohammed Rafiq about this land sale. Rafiq then shared this information with another accused, Gopal Madar.

Both of them together hatched a conspiracy to abduct Sahil through a honey trap and demand money.They informed another accused, Ningappa Navadagi, who was working as a PG manager at Shivaji Circle in Vijayapura. He, in turn, informed the other accused, Vijayalakshmi, who was staying in the same PG, about the conspiracy. Rafiq obtained Vijayalakshmi’s mobile number and gave it to Gopal Madar. Gopal then introduced Vijayalakshmi to the abducted victim, Sahil, and developed a friendship between them.

On June 18, Vijayalakshmi called Sahil and asked him to meet her around 8pm, at an open area behind the govt Hospital.

Accordingly, when Sahil went there to meet her, the other accused abducted Sahil in a Scorpio.They then left Vijayapura and used Sahil’s mobile phone to call his mother and demanded Rs 12 lakh for his release. After this, they travelled to Gadag, then to Goa, and while returning near Ghataprabha, based on prior information, the team identified the accused’s location near Ghataprabha and cracked the case, said SP.