Kollam: Police have released the sketch of a man who reportedly abducted a six-year-old girl from Oyoor here on Monday. A state-wide probe is on to trace the child as the abductors demanded Rs 10 lakh to release the girl. Latest reports say that police on Tuesday took three people into custody from Thiruvananthapuram over suspected invovlement in the child abudction.
Around 6.30 on Tuesday, police reached a car washing centre at Sreekandeswaram in Thiruvananthapuram after getting some leads on the car in which the girl was abducted. It is learnt that police took three people including the car washing centre owner Pratheesh and a Sreekaryam native into custody. Reports say that police seized 19 bundles of Rs 500 from the centre in a bag. A ward councillor here also confirmed these reports on the huge amount of money. It is learnt that nearly Rs 7.5 lakh was seized from the car washing centre.
IG Sparjan Kumar said that the probe team has collected crucial details to trace the four-member gang. Police have launched the search focussing on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam border areas.
The child, Abigel Sara Reji, was dragged into a white sedan on Maruthanampally Road near Oyoor around 4.45 pm on Monday.
The kidnappers, suspected to be four in number including a woman, came in a white car and abducted the girl while she was going for tuition classes along with her eight-year-old brother, according to the boy's statement to police. When the boy tried to stop the abductors, they pushed him aside and whisked away the girl in the car, an officer from the Pooyappally police station said. The boy suffered minor injuries on his knee while trying to stop the abductors.
Those with any leads are advised to contact the dedicated police helpline at 112.
Shopkeeper's statement
The probe team prepared the sketch of a middle-aged man after recording the statement of a shopkeeper at Parippally. Joy, the shopkeeper told police that a man and woman reached his shop and purchased biscuits and coconut. Tricking the shopkeeper and his wife, the woman borrowed their phone to contact the girl's mother. Through this phone, the abductors made the first call to the girl's mother and demanded a ransom of Rs 5 lakh. Later, the same woman contacted the family from another phone and raised the ransom to Rs 10 lakh.
“ A man and woman reached my shop by 7.30 pm in an autorickshaw. They parked the vehicle a few metres away from the shop. They purchased a biscuit packet, rusk and three coconuts. The woman borrowed my phone claiming that she needed to contact her child. She moved from the shop to make the call. After purchasing the items, she returned my phone. The woman who looked around 35-years-old covered her face partially with a black shawl. The man in his 50s was wearing khaki trousers and a shirt with white prints. I don't remember the woman's face. But I can identify the duo. When they left, I got a call from the police enquiring about my location. I realised that they were the abductors only when police reached my shop,” said the shopkeeper Joy.
Police prepared the sketch of the man as per the statement of this shopkeeper. He also told police that the autorickshaw driver was seen hiding his face and he never saw him in the area.
Mysterious white car
IG Sparjan Kumar told media that a state-wide search is on under various teams including cyber police. As per the statement of a petrol pump employee, the abductors in the car headed towards Parippally area. Visuals from the petrol pump confirmed that the gang was travelling in a Maruti Swift car. At the same time, initial reports claimed that the girl was abducted in a white Honda Amaze car. Hence, it is suspected that the gang has been changing the vehicles to mislead the police.
Police have been searching all vehicles and abandoned places as well as houses in the district. According to reports, the gang reportedly abducted the girl in a white car. Visuals of the abduction have already come out. But the shopkeeper told police that three of the gang members reached his shop in an autorickshaw.
Police confirmed that the abductors used fake number plate for their car. Apart from police, local residents of Paripally are also engaged in the search.
