Kidnap bid of girl foiled

BHUBANESWAR: In a sensational incident, three youths, who were abducting a girl from the busy Fortune Towers, were captured after the police gave them a long chase on the city outskirts on Monday. While trying to escape, the miscreants pushed the girl out of the moving vehicle. She was rescued by the locals. The girl, sedated by the abductors, was immediately rushed to hospital with injuries. She was put under treatment and was recovering, police said.The main accused was identified as Sagar Biswal, a native of Angul. He is an engineering dropout and was aided by Pabitra Behera, a B Tech student, who hails from Berhampur. The driver, D Sunil Kumar, too was arrested.Police said the girl, Lopamudra Barik, had been asked by Sagar to come over to Fortune Towers for a job interview. The youths, waiting there, bundled her into a car, administered sedative phenergan on her and sped away towards Chandaka. The girl regained senses and offered resistance when they were heading towards Angul taking the circuitous road. Locals spotted her when she was shouting and smashing the glasses of the vehicle. They immediately alerted the police control room.Chandaka police was then informed and three PCR vans gave them a chase, filmy style. Under pressure, the three pushed the girl out. When the trio were trying to escape, they were intercepted and overpowered near Kateni Square. The locals handed them over to the police, but not before a sound thrashing.The girl was first taken to Mendhasala Hospital. She was later shifted to Capital Hospital. Police Commissioner B K Sharma said: “Three PCR vans trailed them from Barang to Pitapalli. Chandaka police had erected roadblocks and cut off their escape routes at the other end which resulted in the trio’s capture.” Investigation revealed that Sagar was a tenant at Lopamudra’s house in 42 Mouza of Cuttack for about five years. He appeared to have developed a strong feeling for the girl. He also had entered into a business with the girl’s brother and had a fair deal of acquaintance with her.