Pune police on Saturday rescued a priest and his seven disciples after they were held captive by an extortion gang in Karnataka. Three gang members were also arrested during the inter-state operation.
According to an Indian Express report, the identified accused are Ramu Apparay Balun (29), Datta Shivaji Kare (20) and Harshad Suresh Patil (22). All of them are residents of Sangli district in Maharashtra.
A priest and his disciples kidnapped after being invited to perform rituals
Police said that on September 29, 2024, the accused contacted the priest via Instagram and invited him and his students to perform rituals at a house in Bijapur, Karnataka. On arrival, they were kidnapped and the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Rs 5 crore from the priest’s family.
Police said the priest’s father lodged an FIR at the Bibwewadi police station in Pune, leading the investigation that led to the finding of the victims in Sindhanur, Karnataka.
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“With the help of local police, we first rescued a priest and his three disciples from a room in an isolated place in Sindhanur. Moreover, we rescued four more students from another location. Moreover, our team caught three persons and seized sharp weapons used by them to commit the crime,” Mangal Modhve, senior police inspector, also said.
Pune police revealed that the kidnappers stole valuable items and physically tortured the victims. Local residents of Karnataka also helped in catching the kidnappers.
“The case was resolved within days of being reported. The defendants have a criminal history. They committed similar crimes in the past. The accused found out about the priest from Instagram. They then decided to kidnap him and his disciples and demanded money for their release. We managed to rescue all the victims safely. Further investigation is ongoing,” Modhve further added.
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