The scene at Nirmalendu?s residence in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar (Inset) File picture of the abducted teenager

Patna, Jan. 17: The most ?organised? industry in Bihar struck early today, hours before another of its victims returned home, safe but jittery.

Nirmalendu Prakash Diwakar (15) was on his way to school when a gang of criminals, said to be four or five in number, abducted him around eight this morning.

As the city tried to come to terms with the daring act, 20-year-old Prashant Jain returned home in the afternoon, 12 days after he was abducted from Buddha Marg here.

Nirmalendu, a resident of Harnichak, was travelling in a Maruti van when the criminals intercepted the car. They first smashed the windscreen before overpowering the driver and taking away the teenager in another vehicle.

The victim?s car was later recovered from the Sipara area, about 4 km from the abduction site. It was believed that leaving its driver Dinanath Kumar behind, one of the kidnappers drove the vehicle up to Sipara and abandoned it there.

Nirmalendu, a student of Don Bosco, is the son of Om Prakash Diwakar, an accused in the fodder scam. Diwakar, a veterinary doctor and former deputy director of the animal husbandry department, is also a distant relative of former Rashtriya Janata Dal minister Shyam Rajak.

?At a junction about half a mile from the house, the criminals intercepted our car. They broke the windscreen and pulled me out before leaving with the boy,? the driver recalled.

Police swung into action immediately after the family informed them of the abduction. They carried out raids using the dog squad and information provided by Kumar.

?The criminals are suspected to have fled towards Massaurhi via Punpun. We have alerted all police stations and sealed the exit routs,? said senior superintendent of police Kundan Krishnan. No arrests have been made so far.

The boy?s family said they have not received any demands for ransom.

If Nirmalendu?s abduction brought back memories of the Kislay and Golu kidnappings, the return of Prashant Jain provided some relief. The youth was reportedly set free at Mahatma Gandhi Setu outside Patna ? where the police claimed to have found him ? this morning. ?We have a piece of good news for you. Prashant has been found safe,? the chief minister later told the media.

After that, the police and government went into a long silence over the details of Prashant?s return. The young trader was abducted on the night of January 5 while he was returning from his father?s garment shop.

Prashant was initially kept at the IPS officers? mess where his mother Neera was seen feeding him slices of bread and warm milk.

?Please don?t disturb him... He is in a state of shock,? Bihar director-general of police Ashish Ranjan Sinha told reporters. The youth was later shifted to his residence.

Prashant?s brother Nishant said he was assaulted by the kidnappers and had suffered a head injury.

?We will be able to give you the details only after his statement before the court tomorrow,? said Krishnan.

Under pressure from the Opposition over the rising crime graph, Nitish Kumar ?who vowed to ?smash Bihar?s kidnap industry? ? said: ?It?s not only the families of Prashant Jain or Nirmalendu... who are in distress. I personally feel pain.?

Nitish has called a meeting of senior police officers tomorrow to discuss the measures that would be adopted to check crime.

As expected, the RJD lashed out at the government. ?It is just not bothered about the unprecedented rise in crime,? alleged Rajak.