Patna, July 8: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the kidnapping of finance minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav’s 11-year-old grandson picked up three suspects for interrogation on Tuesday.
Three suspects — Shatrughna Yadav, Nawal Kishore Yadav and Bhupendra Yadav — were taken into custody from Parsa in Supaul district. Police said Shatrughna, a resident of Parsa in Supaul, had criminal antecedents.
Incumbent Supaul superintendent of police (SP) Sudhir Kumar Podika said a special team had been formed under the leadership of additional superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar to trace the alleged abductors and recover Manish Kumar.
The Class VII student had gone missing on July 1 while on returning to his school hostel on bicycle.
The police have not been able to recover him even after a week of the kidnapping, which came to the fore on July 4 when his father, Parmeshwar Yadav, reported to the local police.
SP Podika said: “Raids are on to recover the boy safely. We have put the cellphones of some local goons under surveillance. We hope to get a clue in the case shortly.”
The police have, however, failed to elicit any significant information from the three suspects detained for interrogation.
Deputy inspector-general of police (Kosi range) Ajitabh Kumar said the station house officers of the district concerned have been asked to prepare a list of criminal gangs operating in the areas under their jurisdiction. “The motive behind the kidnapping of Manish Kumar is yet to be ascertained,” he added.
The DIG claimed that the suspected kidnappers have not contacted the family for ransom till date. “The SIT is working on all possible theories. We are optimistic to rescue the boy from the clutches of his alleged abductors,” he told The Telegraph over phone.
The DIG, along with the district magistrate and the Supaul superintendent of police, had visited the Bilaukhra house of the victim’s parents yesterday to record their statement. Manish’s father is a teacher of a Supaul-based degree college, while his mother is a former sarpanch.
A case of kidnapping was lodged with the Bishunpur police station on the statement of Parmeshwar Yadav.
Sources at the police headquarters said director-general of police Pramod Kumar Thakur today inquired about the progress in police probe.
