Date:16/10/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/10/16/stories/2004101613680500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Kidnappers demand Rs. 10 lakhs ransom

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, OCT. 15. Kidnappers of the three-year-old boy, Manikantha, called up his father, Raj Kumar's friend, Sridhar, on Friday, demanding payment of Rs. 10 lakhs. However, they did not specify any date or place or mode of payment, it was learnt.

This was the second call after they abducted the boy near his Padmaraonagar's house on October 9.

A native of Bihar, Babulal, who had been working in Rajkumar's dairy farm, allegedly masterminded the kidnap and took the boy to Bihar.

The abductors called Mr. Sridhar's mobile this afternoon saying that they were in Patna.

"However, a message, `unavailable', flashed in the place of the caller's number when I tried to note it down," Mr. Sridhar said.