Date:27/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/27/stories/2005122717880300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kidnapped nine-month-old child restored to parents

Staff Reporter

Police team arrests abductors from Vellore district in Tamil Nadu

Bangalore: Nine-month-old Sabanna is too young to realise what happened to him. But his parents Hanumantha (35), a mason, and Rupa are overjoyed and relieved. Their anguish at losing their youngest child had driven them to despair.

The baby went missing on December 19, Hanumantha informed the Krishnarajapuram police station. Hanumantha, a native of Gulbarga, is working here for the past 18 months. "The child was ill and we sent him with Renuka, one of my relatives, to a hospital in Saibaba Layout. Suresh and his wife, Lakshmi, who were working in the same construction site, accompanied her," he said.

On the way to hospital, Suresh reportedly told Renuka to return, assuring they will take care of the child and get him examined by a doctor. Renuka returned only to find that the "helpful" couple had informed Hanumantha that they were going on leave. They would not be coming to work the next day.

The baby was then reportedly taken to Thiruvallam in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, from where Suresh and his wife had come to Bangalore in search of work.

When police searched their hut, they came across a phone bill showing that they had made calls to Thiruvallam.

A police team from Bangalore went to Tamil Nadu on December 25 and found the baby with Suresh and his wife. The couple reportedly confessed to the police of having kidnapped the baby because they had no children. The couple were arrested and brought to Bangalore on Monday.

After the baby was medically examined, he was returned to the parents at the Police Commissioner's office. "We are very happy to have got our child back. We are thankful to the police," Rupa said.