Businessman kidnapped, beaten up by gang

Virudhunagar, Mar 28 (UNI) A 48-year-old businessman was allegedly kidnapped, detained in a lonely house at Vadakku Sambandapuram village near Rajapalayam here today and severely beaten up over a financial dispute.

Police said the main accused Rajendran had borrowed Rs 13 lakh from businessman Ganesa Raja a few years ago.

Enraged over Rajendran's failure to repay the amount, despite several reminders, Raja warned him of dire consequences, if he failed to settle the amount soon.

Last evening, an unidentified armed gang kidnapped Raja in a car and took him to a lonely house in a coconut groove, where he was roughed up by them.

They allegedly threatened Raja at knife-point to put his signature in a white paper. But, he refused to do so.

Today morning, he managed to escape from the house and reached the Rajapalayam South Police Station.

Raja was admitted to the Government Hospital here, police said.

Cases had been registered against five people, including Rajendran, and investigations were, underway, police added.

UNI GSM SJ 2005