Mumbai: A security guard has been arrested on Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping a three-year-old son of a labourer from an under-construction site in Malad (west) for a ransom of ₹50,000. The Malad police traced the security guard and rescued the toddler in 17 hours after the incident was reported.
Cops said, the arrested accused, identified as Mukesh Singh (26), has claimed that he wanted money for his marriage and therefore, he kidnapped the toddler and demanded ransom from the supervisor of the construction site.
Singh was working as a security guard at the Nadiadwala Compound in Malad (west) for the past four years. Since the labourers also stayed there, their children played near the security cabins and had become friendly with Singh, and he was often seen taking them out for chocolates and treats.
On Tuesday, at 8pm, Singh promised to give the three-year-old boy chocolate and took him out. He did not return. At about 10pm, Singh called the supervisor at the construction site and demanded an amount of ₹50,000 for releasing the child. The child’s parents then approached the Malad police and reported the matter.
The police tried tracing Singh’s phone but it was switched off. They began tracking the phone of Singh’s friend, who stayed at the security cabins with Singh and worked at a site in Dahisar (East).
After getting the call data of Singh’s friend, police found out that he had been receiving phone calls frequently from several unknown numbers. Cops traced these numbers to vegetable vendors and auto drivers from Borivali and Dahisar areas. “On tracing the calls, we got a hint of Singh’s movement and found that he had been travelling towards Dahisar. We then contacted Singh’s friend who revealed that he had been with him along with the child,” said Dhananjay Lingade, senior police inspector of Malad police station.
The police then laid a trap and arrested Singh from Dattapada in Dahisar on Wednesday and rescued the child. Singh was produced before the court and was remanded to police custody for three days.