Cops in guise of kanwariyas unmask Gonda flower trader’s kidnapping drama

Arjun Rajput scripted his kidnapping to extract money from his father. He was found loitering in Haridwar

In what may sound like a movie script, a police team from Uttar Pradesh disguised themselves as kanwariyas in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar to trace a flower trader from Gonda who was found to have orchestrated his own kidnapping to solicit money from his father. After 24 hours of their discreet operation, they captured the trader and brought him back to Gonda.

After 24 hours of their discreet operation, they captured the trader and brought him back to Gonda. (Sourced)

Sharing further details, Gonda superintendent of police (SP) Vineet Jaiswal said a team led by sub-inspector (S-I) Ankit Singh and two head constables Deepak Mishra and Subash Yadav were entrusted with the task to trace flower trader Arjun Rajput, who was missing since July 24. Jaiswal said Rajput’s father Chandrika Prasad had registered a complaint at the Kernalganj police station of Gonda on Thursday morning.

He said Rajput’s family received a ransom call from his number, and the caller asked for ₹70 lakh for their son’s safe release. “We took the matter seriously and multiple police teams, including an electronic surveillance team, were deployed to look for Rajput. Everyone in his family was worried sick for his safety as he had told them over a phone call that the kidnappers were torturing him,” he added.

The SP said the caller’s location was traced to Charbagh in Lucknow and the first ransom call was made on the night of July 25. “Our team reached Haridwar. The team leader, sub-inspector Ankit Singh, decided to disguise himself as a kanwariya after witnessing a large crowd of the devotees in Haridwar,” he stated while narrating the sequence of events. “While moving with a crowd of kanwariyas, they spotted Rajput who was loitering near Hari Ki Paidi . When questioned, he told them about what had happened in detail.”

Jaiswal said Rajput scripted his kidnapping to extract money from his father to pay ₹31 lakh to people he had borrowed money from and cover his own losses. He made the so-called ransom call from the phone of a passerby.