Accused in teenager kidnapping case killed in police encounter

Rajkot, Aug 20 (UNI) Prime accused Naresh Katarmal alias Sarap, who had abducted and killed 17-year-old Piyush Thakkar along with four others, was killed in a police encounter this morning at Kuwadva road about 15 km from here on Rajkot-Ahmedabad Highway.

Acting on a tip-off, a team, led by Police Inspector M M Patel, laid a trap near Kawadva road this morning, when Naresh arrived on a motorcycle, they chased him. Seeing the police trailing him, the accused fired at the team from his revolver. In retaliation, police fired five rounds and killed him on the spot, Police Inspector V V Gohel said.

Seventeen-year-old boy Piyush Thakkar, who was abducted from Shastri Maidan in Rajkot city on July 14, was found killed in a nearby forest on July 28, police said. The abductors had killed Thakkar two days after he was abducted.

Police had found the remains of his body in Hingolgadh forest near Jasdan town, 60 km from here. Of the five accused, Salim Sumra who is now in police custody, guided them and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team to the place. Sumra admitted that he, along with one Ashish Nanda and Katarmal killed the boy.

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