Homeopathic doctor kidnapped for Rs 20 lakh ransom, held captive for 2 days

Lucknow: In a shocking incident, a homoeopathic doctor was allegedly kidnapped, held hostage for two days, and coerced into paying a ransom of Rs 7 lakh. Three men, including a D Pharma graduate who is believed to be the mastermind, have been arrested in connection with the case.

It was revealed that the kidnappers demanded Rs 20 lakh from the doctor, however, he negotiated it down and the accused were able to siphon off only Rs 7 lakh. After extorting the money, they abandoned the doctor, which led to the case being registered and an investigation being launched. 

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During the investigation, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) found that the alleged mastermind made the kidnapping plan to make quick money to repay his mounting debt. After their arrest on Friday night, the team recovered Rs 1.13 lakh cash, a vehicle, and mobile phones from their possession. 

The incident took place on December 8 when the four accused decided to abduct him following which they contacted the doctor to enquire about admission to a paramedical course for six candidates. According to the police, the doctor's wife operated the course. There, they asked him to come to a spot on Ayodhya Road.

When the doctor reached the spot, the accused men entered his car, assaulted him, and took control of the vehicle. The men then took the doctor to Ayodhya, Basti, and Gonda districts in the next two days to extract Rs 20 lakh from him but he was only able to gather Rs 7 lakh. After collecting the money from the doctor's account, they abandoned the doctor on December 10 at a place and fled with the money. 

Following this, the doctor approached the police and a case was registered against the abductors. The STF team under Additional Superintendent of Police, STF, Vishal Vikram Singh launched an investigation. Within days, the STF received intel about the abductor's location and released a team led by Inspector Shivnetra Singh to trace them which resulted in their arrest. 

The reason behind the kidnapping of the doctor was discovered after one of them confessed to the police. 

Additional superintendent of police, STF, Vishal Vikram Singh told TOI, "The prime accused, Ram Babu Verma, a D Pharma graduate from Saket College, Ayodhya, was facing debt and financial difficulties. Verma shared his problem with his friend Rajan Kumar, who had detailed information about Dr Surendra Kumar Singh, a homoeopathic doctor in Chinhat, as Rajan had lived in a room in the doctor's house on rent. Rajan suggested that they should target Dr Surendra who could shell out up to Rs 50 lakh."

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