Nandyal Police busts kidnappers’ gang; rescues Bethamcherla victims

TIRUPATI: Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal Police on Friday busted an 11-member kidnappers' gang and recovered a portion of the ransom money.
Those arrested by the police were identified as Suresh, Srinivas, Kalandhar, Ajay, Vijay, Bhargav, Prabhu, Prakash, GN Ranjith Kumar, Ravi Kumar and others — belonging to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Nandyal SP K Raghuveer Reddy briefed reporters on Friday about a kidnapping episode reported near Bethamcherla on June 5 and how the police rescued the kidnapped victims.
The interstate kidnappers' gang, which was involved in kidnapping wealthy and high net worth individuals, had conducted a recce on the movements of CH Vinayaka Reddy, a resident of Banaganapalle.
The gang waylaid Vinayaka Reddy and kidnapped him along with his son Bharat Kumar Reddy and their driver Sainath Reddy near Bethamcherla on June 5.
The gang demanded a ransom of Rs 4 crore to release them.
Vinayaka Reddy's father Nagi Reddy handed out the ransom money to the gang in two installments through his relatives.
But when the kidnappers did not release his family members even after the ransom was paid, Nagi Reddy lodged a complaint at the Bethamcherla police station.
Nandyal police formed special teams led by Dhone DSP Y Srinivasa Reddy, who busted the gang and rescued all the victims.
Police recovered Rs 40 lakh ransom money, four cars, three mobile phones and one knife from the possession of the accused.