Four individuals were arrested while transporting the victim towards Basti
LUCKNOW: A dispute that began during a Ganapati immersion procession in Sant Kabir Nagar has escalated into a sensational abduction case, with police rescuing a man within 12 hours of his alleged kidnapping and arresting four accused who were allegedly taking him towards Basti. The victim, Vishal Kumar, a resident of Santoshpur village under Bakhira police station limits, was rescued during a late-night police operation on September 21. Vishal allegedly received a call from Vishwketu Yadav on September 20 and was asked to accompany him to the MP’s residence. Using surveillance inputs and local intelligence, police tracked the movement of the suspects and intercepted their vehicle around 2.30am near Kante while it was heading towards Basti. During the operation, police recovered a Maruti Ertiga, five mobile phones, cash amounting to Rs 42,620 and 15 documents allegedly carrying Vishal’s photograph and signatures, including affidavits, applications and an Aadhaar card.
Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and launched a search operation. Interrogation of the accused revealed that Vishal had been taken to the MP’s residence, where he was allegedly made to sign several documents before a notary, according to police.
Two days later, according to police, the dispute took a more serious turn. Investigators said the accused were later transporting him towards Ayodhya when they were intercepted. Police intercepted a Maruti Ertiga near Kante and found Vishal inside the vehicle. Four occupants of the vehicle, identified as Vishwketu Yadav, Ashok Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and Jitendra Yadav, were arrested on the spot. One of the accused arrested in the abduction case, Vishwketu Yadav, was specifically named in that complaint. Vishal also alleged that stones and bricks were hurled during the clash, causing injuries and damaging vehicles. Vishal left with the group but failed to return home. Concerned when he remained untraceable for several hours, Vishal’s brother, Om Prakash Kumar, approached Bakhira police and alleged that the four men had abducted him.
Investigation into Targeted Attack on Vishal
Police have reported that the accused admitted to targeting Vishal due to his involvement in an SC/ST case related to a dispute over the Ganapati procession. Investigators are currently scrutinizing documents that were recovered during the investigation, focusing on how the signatures were obtained. The four individuals accused in this case have been remanded for further legal proceedings.
The case stems from a confrontation during a Ganesh idol immersion procession on September 18. In a complaint filed earlier, Vishal alleged that the convoy of Samajwadi Party MP Laxmikant alias Pappu Nishad entered the procession at high speed near Amar Dobha crossing around 10.30pm after the DJ accompanying the event stopped due to a generator malfunction. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
Police said additional investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events and determine the role of all those involved in the case. Vishal claimed he was hit by a vehicle in the convoy, sustained injuries and fell unconscious. He further alleged that supporters accompanying the MP abused procession participants, assaulted him and threatened him. Download the TOI App.