Anant's 5-day ordeal ends; one arrested

Noida, Nov 17 (UNI) Bringing to an end the five-day ordeal of Anant, son of Adobe India CEO Naresh Gupta, police today secured his safe release from what they described as Delhi-based ''amateur kidnappers'' at Bhulandshahr-Noida border and arrested one person.

However, the main accused Chhatrapal alias Dev and two of his associates -- Pawan and Vijay Chauhan -- are yet to be arrested, said Inspector General of Police (Meerut Range) N B Singh.

''The joint operation of the Uttar Pradesh Police and Special Task Force rescued the child at about 1130 hrs. We have arrested one person Jitendra alias Babloo, who is among the four people involved in the sensational kidnapping,''he said.

Stressing that no ransom was paid, the IG told mediapersons at a press conference this evening, that three of the four accused hailed from New Ashok Nagar area of East Delhi, bordering Noida -- from, where he was kidnapped on November 13 morning.

''They were amateurs and were finicky about the media coverage because of which we did not exchange notes with the media, as the child's life was our prime concern,''Mr Singh said.

On the 'first clue' the police got, Mr Singh said this was picked from the mobile of the colony guard who received about half a dozen calls, from a single number, within a span of minutes.

''Soon, tracking that call led us to several other links through which within the first ten hours we had almost all details of all the four accused,''the IG said.

Elaborating on the episode, the top police officer said from Noida Anant was taken to the house of Pawan in New Ashok Nagar and from there to Mathura where one of the accused's aunt lived.

''We trailed them from there, of which they perhaps got a hint, and then later after some time took an auto. We later rescued the child at about 1130 hrs from the Dacor police station area.'' Refusing to answer where exactly and how was the three-year-old child rescued, the IG said, "we are yet to arrest the three other accused and raids are on to nab them. Any further details could jeopardise the 'operation' which was still on, he explaimed.

''We are sure to arrest the rest by tomorrow after which the final details of the entire episode would be revealed.'' Earlier, Anant was brought to his Noida home, in posh Sector 15-A, in an auto rickshaw accompanied by a policeman at about 1300 hrs.

The TSR was escorted by a police vehicle.

Later, the three-year-old child underwent a medical check-up.

Soon after his arrival, Anant's father told mediapersons that his family was in constant touch with the abductors all through the nearly five-day 'ordeal'.

About a dozen-odd calls were received during this period by us from them in which they demanded Rs 60 lakh as ransom, he said adding, ''However, no money was paid to the abductors.'' UNI AN-IP YA VV2052