In a swift operation, police in Bhubaneswar arrested four youths on Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping a male nursing student from a private educational institution for ransom. The victim, Biswajit Pradhan (22), a fourth-year BSc nursing student at SOA University, was rescued unharmed, and all four accused were taken into custody.
Details of the Accused
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sandeep Kumar Rout (21), Ritik Muduli (22), Subham Pradhan (20), and Biswas Nayak (24). Among them, Sandeep and Ritik are students of the same institution as the victim. ACP (Zone-III) Prashant Kumar Sahoo informed the media that the motive behind the crime was a financial dispute between the victim and the accused. While the police statement did not disclose details about the other two accused, authorities are verifying their backgrounds.
The Kidnapping Incident
According to the ACP, the accused kidnapped Biswajit from the college campus on Tuesday afternoon using a vehicle. The sudden disappearance caused panic among fellow students and faculty members, who promptly alerted the police. The victim's father received a ransom call demanding Rs 50,000.
Police acted swiftly, deploying special teams from Bharatpur police station, along with members of the special squad and technical staff, to track the suspects. Advanced technical support, including call detail records and CCTV footage from the college campus and surrounding areas, was utilized to trace the kidnappers' movement.
Rescue Operation
In a carefully planned operation, two police officers posed as family members and carried the ransom money to the hideout in Bharatpur where the victim was being held. Simultaneously, another team raided the premises, rescuing the student unharmed. All four accused were taken into custody on the spot.
Motive Behind the Crime
During interrogation, police discovered that the victim and the accused were involved in earning commissions by helping students clear online admission tests at various colleges. However, tensions escalated when the victim began running a parallel operation, distancing himself from the group. This alleged betrayal reportedly fueled resentment, leading the accused to plot the kidnapping to extort money.
This incident comes just days after six college students were arrested in the Bharatpur area on May 21 for allegedly kidnapping a Plus II student to settle a financial dispute.
