Kidnapped boy released

Chennai, Sep 23 (UNI) In a dramatic development, an unidentified gang, which had kidnapped an 11-year-old boy from here last evening, released him this afternoon, after failing to get the ransom of Rs 60 lakh.

Even as the police launched a massive hunt to trace the gang members and secure the release of the boy-Alexander, studying in sixth standard in a private school in Besant Nagar, the gang members dropped the boy near his residence at Shashtri Nagar this afternoon, much to the relief of his parents and police.

Alexander was kidnapped in a van when he was going to school in his by-cycle yesterday morning. A resident who witnessed the incident, alerted the family members.

On being informed, the police swung into action and formed special teams to trace the gang members. Even as the police teams were engaged in intense vehicle check ups, the gang members had telephoned the boy's grandparents last evening and demanded a ransom of Rs 60 lakh for the release.

The police, after tracing the call to a place in Chengalpattu, launched a hunt for the kidnappers, while alerting all the check posts in the state.

Meanwhile, in a sudden development, the kidnappers, following the pressure mounted by the police, dropped the boy near his residence and escaped. The boy walked to his residence, much to the joy of the parents.

The boy told the police that soon after he was taken inside the van, he was blindfolded and was denied food and water yesterday night.

After going through the morning newspapers, they went out, leaving him alone and after a while they brought him back to Sashtri Nagar, the visibly shocked boy told the police.

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