A resident of Sunet village in Ludhiana has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a nine-year-old boy as part of a ₹5 lakh extortion attempt against a family from the same locality. The suspect, identified as Mani Kumar, reportedly targeted Zeenat Begum and her son while her husband, Iqbal Singh, was working in Saudi Arabia.
Sequence of Events
According to police, the ordeal began on April 18 when Iqbal Singh received a phone call from the suspect demanding ₹5 lakh and threatening the life of his child. The family initially ignored the threats. However, on April 20, Mani and two accomplices allegedly broke into the home while the family was away. They stole cash, electronics, and documents, and then placed their own lock on the main gate. Later, they reportedly sent pictures of the locked house to Iqbal Singh in Saudi Arabia as proof that they could access his family at will.
Police Investigation
The investigating officer, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jaswinder Singh, stated that Mani has a prior record for theft and drug peddling. He was arrested shortly after the First Information Report (FIR) was filed. ASI Singh said, "The investigation suggests the suspect targeted the family purely for financial gain." He added that while the parties were known to each other, there was no history of personal rivalry. A search for Mani's accomplices is currently underway.
Police continue to investigate the case and are working to apprehend the remaining suspects. The family has been provided with security assurances as the legal process moves forward.
