Ex-student kidnapped Shimla school children, held them hostage at home, arrested
Following the alert, Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under ASP Navdeep Singh. Over 150 personnel, supported by cyber units and drones, were deployed. CCTV footage showed the boys in New Shimla around 12:10 pm on Saturday, boarding a suspicious Hyundai i10 with a fake Delhi number plate.
The car bearing a fake Delhi number was used in the crime.
The car was traced to Sood, a resident of Kotkhai and an alumnus of the same school.
Accused Sumit Sood (in a red T-shirt) kidnapped the three children from Shimla.
Investigators say Sood exploited his knowledge of the institution's CCTV coverage and outing routines. He allegedly offered the boys a lift before driving them to his partially constructed four-storey house in Kotkhai. Only the top floor was habitable, and it was here that the children were reportedly kept handcuffed with their mouths taped.The breakthrough came when the children's parents received a ransom call from a foreign number. "The kidnapper told her— we have kidnapped your child. Do not switch off the phone. Don't even think about going to the police or the media, will talk about the money later," said Bhupender Lathar, uncle of one of the three kidnapped children. He added that Angad, who lost his father a year ago, was the only one who remembered his home number, enabling contact.CCTV footage from a Kotkhai petrol pump confirmed the suspect's vehicle in the area, prompting police to focus their search there. A raid on Sood's residence on Sunday led to the safe recovery of the children and his subsequent arrest. Authorities also recovered a weapon and are probing links between the foreign number and Sood's relatives in Canada.advertisementSP Gandhi lauded the swift teamwork, saying, "District Shimla Police made a concerted effort and worked together as a team. Finally, our team successfully traced those children. The accused has been nabbed with the help of our teams and CCTVs. It was a complicated and tough case".Parents expressed relief and gratitude for the police response. "We are grateful to the police teams of Himachal Pradesh. Their swift response helped save our child. It was a terrifying moment for our family," said Lathar. Hitendra's family called it "a planned kidnapping" and thanked the state DGP and police for their intervention.According to investigators, Sood's financial distress appears to have been the primary motive. He had reportedly been living in Kotkhai for years and maintained some connections with the school. Police are now piecing together his movements, communications, and any possible accomplices.The incident has raised security concerns at boarding schools, with calls for tighter monitoring of students during outings. Police officials confirmed they are working with the institution to review safety protocols.advertisementAs the investigation continues, authorities are examining the ransom call details and whether any part of the crime was orchestrated with outside assistance. Sood is expected to face charges under kidnapping and extortion laws, along with potential weapons offences.- Ends
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