Mobile shop owner kidnapped in Thamarassery, found by police

KOZHIKODE: A youngster kidnapped by unknown men from Thamarassery was spotted at Vythiri in Wayanad at 9:30 pm on Monday. The police had formed a 15-member special investigation team headed by Thamarassery DYSP Pramod to find the Kozhikode Cheruvatta native. The room boy of the resort used by the abductors, dropped off Harshad in Vythiri town.

Harshad then informed his family about the incident and boarded a KSRTC bus to reach home. However, the police stopped the bus midway and took Harshad for questioning. Harshad told the police that a financial deal was behind the kidnapping. The police said that they have received a tip-off about the abductors and have started efforts to trace them.

Harshad, who was at his wife's house in Thamarassery suddenly left in his car at midnight on Saturday, saying he received a phone call. His wife complained to the police station after Harshad failed to return while his mobile phone remained untraceable.

Meanwhile, Harshad's brother Nishad received a call from Harshad's number on Saturday night demanding a ransom of ten lakh rupees. It was Harshad who talked to his brother, revealing about the kidnapping. Soon another person took hold of the phone and talked with Nishad. Harshad's car was found near Thamarassery Ambayathode. The front window was broken. The vehicle was shifted to the police station.

Thamarassery DYSP Pramod said that Harshad was assigned by his friend to hand over some money to a third person. However, Harshad kept the money to himself which irked his friend. The investigation is focused on quotation teams. Harshad is a mobile shop owner.