Kondotty: A phone call and a fool proof police investigation are what saved the life Muhammad Shalu. He was assaulted, gagged and left to die in a deserted building when the police found him and rescued him. The police checked hundreds of vehicles and collected CCTV visuals from the locality as soon as they received news of the kidnapping. Kondotty CI PM Shameer who led the investigation says that they were able to find a significant breakthrough within four hours.

The kidnap
An eye witness informs the panchayat member that a man travelling on a scooter was kidnapped by a group, in a car at around 7.30 am on Sunday. The panchayat member promptly alerted the Kondotty police and the policemen rushed to the scene. They located the owner of the scooter, a native of Kinassery in Kozhikode, by tracing the number plate. The family told the police that the owner’s son Muhammad Shalu had gone out at around 6 am on the scooter.

White car
After identifying the colour and brand of the car in which the kidnappers came, the police began collecting CCTV visuals. The number of the car wasn’t clearly visible in the visuals. They collected the visuals of hundreds of cars that travelled in the Pulikkal – Alungal route around the same time. The police then matched the number they managed to identify, with a car. 

Rent a car and number trick
The owner of the car informed the police that the vehicle was rented to a person. The car was taken at around 10 pm on Saturday and was returned by 11 am on Sunday. The police then checked the car thoroughly for any evidence. They tracked the path of the car that was GPS enabled. The police understood that the car had stopped near Thrippanachi market between 8.15 am to 8.30 am.

Assaulted and gagged
It was around 11.30 am when the police personnel, both in uniform and in mufti, located the deserted building at Thrippanachi. Although they saw a person running out of the building, he couldn’t be caught. The police then broke down the door and entered the building to find Muhammad Shalu lying on the ground. He had lost a tooth in the physical altercation. Besides, his hands and legs were tied and was gagged too. The police rushed Muhammad Shalu to the Manjeri Medical College hospital.

Gold mafia
Police says that a native of Vallumbram is behind the abduction. The investigating team got primary information that Muhammad Shalu had helped a gang snatch the gold that was brought for the Vallumbarm native, three years ago. His attempt to retrieve the gold resulted in the kidnapping. The gang had been following Muhammad Shalu on Saturday night when he was returning from Chennai after the medical test ahead of visa processing. The gang had planned to abduct Shalu when he deboarded the bus at Pantheerankavu. However, they dropped that plan as Shalu was accompanied by his friends.