Patna: Three school-going children were allegedly kidnapped for ransom and killed while another three remain in captivity in Bihar. The incidents come at a time the state is promoting a human chain programme against dowry and child marriages, to be held on January 21.
The first incident occurred in Patna, the capital of Bihar, when a grade nine private student was abducted. The kidnappers were asking for Rs2.5 million (Dh143,895) for his safe release.
Police said the victim, identified as Raunak Kumar, was on way to school with his sister on Thursday when she asked him to retrieve a notebook she had forgotten at home. Kumar was abducted on his way home and locked in a secluded spot. Later, the kidnappers communicated their demand to the parents, property dealers. However, before they could put the money together, the child was killed. His body was recovered from a shop in Patna on Friday, leading to protests
“We have arrested a kidnapper involved in the murder. He confessed to his involvement in the case and now we will request the court to speedily try the case,” Patna’s senior superintendent of police, Manu Maharaj, told the media on Friday.
The alleged kidnapper later told the media that he had sought the ransom as he was in debt.
A similar incident was reported in Betia, West Champaran district, where a student, identified as Veer Kuma Singh, from Lower Kindergarten was killed after being kidnapped. The victim had been missing since Thursday evening.
The body of another kidnapped victim was recovered from Kaimur district. The five-year-old victim, identified as Adarsh Bhushan, had gone missing last week after which a case was registered with the local police. On Thursday, his body was recovered from a well.
In another incident, five schoolchildren, including four girls, were kidnapped by criminals in cars in Gaya district on Thursday while they were on their way to a tutor. However, two of the girls managed an escape after jumping from the car; police are yet to trace the three missing children. Those kidnapped are grade ten students. The police have registered a case and a hunt is on.
The opposition on Friday launched massive attacks on the government over the incidents. “A series of incidents indicate worst form of jungle raj [rule of the jungle] has gripped the entire state and the government was busy to make its human chain programme a success,” said Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav. He added that the law and order situation had touched its nadir and the masses were living in a state of panic, but the government doesn’t seem concerned.
The Congress party also hit out at the government for failing to contain crime. “Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar talks big but the fact is that even worst form of Jungle Raj had returned to Bihar,” said Congress chief Kaukab Qadri.
