The Avalahalli police arrested a 20-year-old autorickshaw driver from K.R. Puram, who along with his girlfriend, attempted to kidnap a six-year-old boy for a ransom of ₹5 lakh.
The police swung into action and arrested the accused identified as Shaktivelu, 20, and his friend Sunitha, 30, who worked as a salesgirl at an apparel store in the outskirts of the city .
K. Vamshi Krishna, Superintendent of Police, said the accused worked in the house of Manoj Kumar, and would pick up and drop his elder son to school. He ganged up with Sunitha and hatched a plan to kidnap the younger son Sai Akshith to extort money from Manoj Kumar.
As per the plan, the duo took a car on rent and intercepted the van in which Akshith was returning home on Thursday. The accused attacked the driver, Basha, and attempted to kidnap Akshith, but they failed as Basha resisted and raised an alarm for help.
While Akshith reached home safely and Basha complained to the police, the accused called Manoj Kumar a few hours later demanding the ransom and threatened to kidnap Akshith if the money was not paid.
The police approached them on the pretext of delivering the ransom and arrested the duo within seven hours. The accused have been booked under attempt to kidnap, assault and criminal intimidation.