Ransom plot ends in gunfight, kidnapped 12-year-old rescued

A 12-year-old boy who was allegedly kidnapped from Panipat was rescued after a police encounter in Haryana’s Rohtak district on Saturday, leading to the arrest of three accused, including a woman. Two of the suspects sustained bullet injuries during the exchange of fire and were admitted to the hospital for treatment, police said.

According to officials, the victim is the son of Sunita, an Executive Engineer (XEN) posted at the Panipat Thermal Plant. Her husband, Sameer, is serving as a Deputy General Manager (DGM) and is currently posted in Jaipur.

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Police said the child was abducted from his residence in Panipat on the evening of June 12. Following the kidnapping, teams from Panipat CIA-2, Gohana Police and Rohtak Sadar Police launched a coordinated operation to track down the suspects.

Investigators said the accused allegedly contacted the family through a WhatsApp call and demanded a ransom of Rs 1.5 crore for the boy’s release. The callers reportedly threatened the family with serious consequences if the ransom demand was not met.

In her complaint to the police, Sunita stated that she had left her younger son, Kabir, a Class VII student, at home before leaving for work. When she returned around 9.30 pm, she found him missing. After an unsuccessful search, the family approached the police, following which a kidnapping case was registered, and an intensive search operation was launched.

Police later received information that the suspects were moving through Rohtak in a car bearing a Panipat registration number. As security teams closed in on the vehicle, the accused allegedly attempted to escape and opened fire on the police party. Officials said the suspects also rammed a police vehicle during the chase.

As the police tightened the cordon, the kidnappers allegedly pushed the child out of the moving vehicle in an attempt to evade arrest. The boy suffered injuries in the incident and was immediately shifted to PGI for medical treatment.

Police retaliated after coming under fire, triggering a brief encounter. During the exchange, two of the accused sustained gunshot injuries to their legs and were overpowered. A woman travelling in the vehicle was also taken into custody.

Investigators are currently questioning the arrested suspects to establish the full conspiracy behind the kidnapping. Police sources indicated that a student may also have been involved in planning the abduction, and further investigations are underway to identify all those linked to the crime.

The rescued child remains under medical supervision, while police continue to probe the motive and circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and ransom plot.