Pankaj Bhagat, 23, Rajesh Rishi, 34 and a 14-year-old boy had allegedly kidnapped three-year-old Krishan, alias Golu, son of Ghanshyam Bhagat, who was a distant relative of Pankaj, on the issue of money, they said.
Pankaj, who used to supply vegetables to roadside eateries had taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from Ghanshyam. He was demanding his money back but Pankaj was unable to return.
"Envy of Ghanshyam's business and angered over continuous pestering for money, Pankaj, along with his brother-in-law, planned kidnap of the boy. They abducted the child on October 13 when he came his house to buy biscuits from the shop situated below his house," said P Karunakaran, DCP North West district.
Ghanshyam lodged a complaint with police after the boy didn't return for quite sometime and they failed to find him nearby. During their search, somebody informed them that the boy was last seen with Pankaj and a juvenile. Ghanshyam tried to call Pankaj but he didn't pick up the phone, the official said, adding Pankaj had demanded a ransom of Rs 10 lakh for the safe release of the child.
Acting on information, police raided Pankaj's relative in Ludhiana from where they got information that he had gone to Madhepura in Bihar, following which the accused's house was raided and the kidnapped boy was recovered, the police official added.