23-05-2025
Five arrested for kidnapping, extortion of junior engineer in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur
JAGATSINGHPUR: Kujang police on Wednesday arrested five persons for allegedly kidnapping a junior engineer (JE) of the Rural Development department.
Police said Rajiv Das (23), Sankar Mohapatra (36), Satya Prakash Pradhan (26), Sritam Behera (23) and Suraj Sahoo (29) abducted JE Manas Sahoo on May 16.
Manas, a resident of Narasinghpur in Cuttack, is posted at the Rural Development section in Pankapal and stays in government quarters. Satya had connected with Manas on Facebook and after seeing him wearing gold ornaments, reportedly conspired with the other accused to kidnap and extort money and valuables from him, said police.
As per their plan, Satya contacted the JE and claimed that he wanted to meet him for some official work. After Manas agreed, a car arrived near his quarters. In his complaint, the JE had claimed that while the car driver and another person were already inside the vehicle, two more individuals approached from behind and assaulted him. They forced him into the car at gunpoint. The assailants tore his shirt and recorded a video of his bare body reportedly to blackmail him.
The car then proceeded towards Paradip via Rahama Bazaar in Tirtol. Near Rahama petrol pump, a fifth accomplice joined them. The miscreants then demanded `1 lakh from Manas and threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to comply. When the JE told them he had no money, they allegedly snatched a gold chain and finger ring from him.
The accused reportedly warned Manas to arrange the money, saying they would contact him again for the payment and return his belongings afterwards. They then dropped him off near his quarters, following which he lodged a complaint with Kujang police.
Kujang IIC Bansidhar Pradhan said police have seized the vehicle used in the crime and recovered the stolen gold ornaments from the accused's possession.
