To escape dad's wrath, Nanded minor stages own kidnap

The minor who staged his kidnap to escape his father's anger

A 17-year-old boy from Nanded staged his own kidnap to escape the wrath of his father, whom he presumed would dislike him visiting his grandparents in Latur. Vijay (name changed) visited his mother's parents on May 18, with whom his father doesn't share much of a warm relationship due to some internal family feud.

The minor who staged his kidnap to escape his father's anger

"In May after receiving my first salary, I wanted to spend some time with my grandparents. I left for Latur from Pune in the morning. On my way, I realised that I have not informed my parents. So upon reaching Latur, I had a quick lunch and returned to Pune," said Vijay, who worked in a Pune mall for the past two months.

His father Nandu Kale, who works as a carpenter, by then has called him up several times.

"I was scared. I did not want to answer his calls. My mother called too but I was too scared to update her about me," recalled Vijay, who stayed with his cousin in Pune after his Std XII exams. This fear prompted him to churn out a plan and stage his kidnap.

‘Did not eat to look pale'
"I called up my parents to tell them that I have been kidnapped and have been kept in a warehouse. Then, I talked to them in a changed voice posing as a kidnapper asking for a ransom of Rs 7 lakh, as I was aware that my father has got Rs 10 lakh through our ancestral property," said Vijay, who did not eat much for few days to look pale.

"I wanted to show them that the kidnapper had not given me food," said Vijay, who kept tracking his parents' movements upon returning to Pune.

Nandu meanwhile thought that maybe his son's result has not been up to the mark.

"I enquired from his friend who told me that he did not turn up for work. On May 19, I received a call from my son's mobile number informing of the kidnap and the ransom demand. I approached the Wakad police and registered a case," said the 45-year-old father of Vijay, who reached Pune on May 18.

Vijay meanwhile reached Dadar on May 24 and contacted his parents. "I told them that they need to come to Dadar railway station and keep the money in a dustbin."

The Anti Extortion cell of Pune police tracked him down at Dadar on that day and brought him to Pune.

Scored 62 per cent in Std XII exams
Inspector Anil Patil in-charge of Anti Extortion cell said, "Initially he claimed that the kidnappers released him as he was of no use to them and also gave us a fake sketch and identity. But we knew that he was lying and we wanted him to confess, which he finally did."

The police gave him a slight warning keeping Vijay's academic future in mind.

Assistant Police Inspector Vitthol Shelar said, "Vijay has cleared his board exams with 62 per cent but his father is still upset on him."

"I was very angry on him. But when his results came out, I cooled down. I initially could not believe the police when they said whatever my son did. However, they are now asking me to be friendly to my son and stop being tough on him," adds Nandu.