Mananthavadi: Amid soaring gold prices, a juvenile from Wayanad landed in trouble after stealing his father’s jewellery. He reportedly took the gold to raise funds for a leisure trip and sought the help of another teen boy to sell it. However, the duo fell prey to a gang of criminals who abducted and robbed them.

The incident came to light after Wayanad police arrested two people following a complaint filed by the father who lost the jewellery.

The accused have been identified as Chirakkal Veettil Dinkan alias Ajithkumar (22) and Sreevilasam Veettil Vishnum (22), both natives of Mananthavadi. Two other accused are absconding, police said.

According to police, the boy, who is mentally challenged, took a gold ornament belonging to his father from their house. At his direction, his friend approached a youth who helped sell the 9-gram ornament. Of the total amount received, ₹68,000 was handed over to the two boys, while ₹50,000 was retained by the youth who facilitated the sale.

Later, the juveniles contacted one of the four accused to arrange a vehicle, for which an advance of ₹4,500 was initially demanded. Subsequently, another ₹5,000 was extracted, citing additional expenses.

Realising that the boys had access to money, the four-member gang allegedly kidnapped them and took them to a hideout operated by drug peddlers. The boys were brutally assaulted, forced to consume liquor and ganja, and robbed of their money. The gang also threatened to kill them if the remaining amount was not handed over.

Although the boys did not fully disclose the incident to their families, the case came to light after the man who lost the gold realised his son’s involvement in the theft. Following the boy’s confession, the father approached the police.

The youth who mediated the gold sale later returned ₹50,000 to the boy’s father after the police launched an investigation.

Mananthavadi Inspector P Rafeeq said two of the accused have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody, while the remaining two are absconding.

“They may have gone into hiding after learning about the arrests. We are closely monitoring their movements, and all of them are under our radar,” he said, adding that the two accused currently in custody are facing trial in similar cases.

Police have expressed concern that rising gold prices could lead to an increase in such crimes across the state, as juveniles—especially those vulnerable to substance abuse—can easily access ornaments kept at home. They also warned that without timely intervention, the boys involved could slip deeper into drug addiction.