Prabir?s parents in Amritsar on Friday. (PTI)

Chandigarh, Feb. 18: Prabir Singh, the kidnapped Plus 2 student of Amritsar?s DAV Public School, was freed in Saharanpur late last night.

The 19-year-old was stepping into his Honda Accord after tuition on February 8 when three persons, one in police uniform and carrying a stengun, accosted him. Shoving him into the car and jumping in themselves, they made away in the vehicle, which was found abandoned outside Saharanpur railway station yesterday.

?Prabir is now with his uncle in Faridabad. Since the probe is continuing, we cannot say anything now except that he is in safe hands and will be returning home soon,? DIG (border) Paramjit Singh Gill said.

Prabir?s father K.S. Dimpi declined comment on whether any ransom was paid. ?We are extremely grateful that our bachha is back.

?Since he is not in a position to narrate the details after his kidnap, he has not been able to come back home. But he will return soon. All I can say at the moment is that my son is back.?

Police sources said Prabir?s father, who is into rice exporting, had been negotiating with the abductors since the kidnap. Shocked school students had taken to the streets soon after the incident to protest against the deteriorating law and order.

Prabir?s schoolmates celebrated his release at his Shastrinagar home by dancing with his parents, specially mother Kulwinder.

A relative said over phone that it was at Kulwinder?s request that the police, who had zeroed in on the kidnappers, refrained from taking action against them.

?We believe the kidnap was organised by a well-knit gang with contacts in many states and they could have easily killed him. They are also capable of causing harm to other members of the family,? the relative said.

A police spokesman said Prabir, who had not reached home by evening, was not expected for the next few days. ?The incident has left him scared. We will be speaking to him at his uncle?s house.?

The police are yet to explain how Prabir?s car could travel over 400 km from Amritsar to Saharanpur despite a red alert being sounded within half-an-hour of the abduction.

Earlier this week, 16-year-old Abhi Verma was kidnapped from Hoshiarpur while on his way to school. His body was found in Jalandhar the next morning.