Jeypore: In a major breakthrough, Koraput police arrested 13 persons including three women in connection with the abduction of rice mill owner A Ramesh Patra.
Koraput SP Abhinav Sonkar told media persons at the office of Borigumma SDPO that the mill owner has been rescued from R Maliguda under Sunabeda police limits.
“We have seized two cars, one Pulsar bike, three pistols, 12 live bullets, two weapons and Rs 24.85 lakh cash from the kidnappers. The mobile phones of all the accused have also been seized,” the SP informed.
The 13 kidnappers include three women and one of the employees of the rice mill, the SP said. The main accused identified as Jeet Mahuria and others have been forwarded to court.
Raghunath Harijan, an employee of Patra’s rice mill provided all information about Ramesh Patra.
The SP said that the kidnappers had demanded Rs 90 lakh ransom. However, they finally made a deal of Rs 70 lakh for the safe release of the mill owner.
Ramesh Patra, the owner of SLVN Modern rice mill in Perahandi, was returning home in his car when miscreants intercepted him near Perahandi chhak at around 8.15 pm on Friday. The kidnappers broke open the vehicle’s window and abducted him. After Patra did not return home, his family filed a complaint at Borigumma police station.
The SP had directed a special team to investigate the matter and rescue the mill owner. Accordingly, the team riaded multiple hideouts and rescued Patra on Sunday.
