Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Ryots' arrest leads to scuffle

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, APRIL 28. The issue of abduction of the Managing Director and a Manager of Deccan Mines, Bellary, in neighbouring Karnataka led to a scuffle between the Karnataka police and the farmers of Kanekal in the district today after the Karnataka police picked up two farmers of Yerraguntla village near Kanekal in the wee hours.

A Circle Inspector of Karnataka was allegedly manhandled by farmers after the former reportedly behaved rudely with the farmers at Kanekal. The Karnataka police agreed to release the two farmers after the intervention of the Superintendent of Police, Anil Kumar.

According to the police sources, the MD of Deccan Mines, Rajendra Kumar Jain, and his manager were abducted by unidentified persons from Bellary a couple of days back. The abductors had demanded a ransom of Rs. 2.5 crores to release the two.

They kept the Karnataka police, led by the Bellary SP, Hemant, guessing by not giving any specific address as to where the ransom was to be brought. The SP and his team reached Yerraguntla village near Kanekal in the district around 3.30 a.m. today following the directions of the abductors.

After watching the police arrive in two Scorpio vehicles one of the abductors opened fire on the police and escaped with two revolvers belonging to the Karnataka police, including one belonging to the SP. The Karnataka police retaliated but in vain. During their chase the Karnataka police caught two farmers in the fields and took them away to Bellary.

But one of the kidnapped, Mr. Jain, escaped the clutches of the abductors and reached Anantapur this afternoon. He complained to the SP, Anil Kumar, about the incident and sought protection to reach Bellary. Accordingly, he was sent with security.

Meanwhile, a Circle Inspector from Bellary visited Kanekal in the morning in search of the two lost revolvers. The farmers gheraoed the CI demanding the release of the two farmers picked up by the Karnataka police, as they were innocent.

During the enquiry with the farmers the CI entered into an altercation with the farmers, which ultimately ended up in the farmers roughing up the cop. The Karnataka cop was released by the farmers after the intervention of the SP, Anil Kumar, and the Karnataka police assured to release the two farmers.

Later, the farmers handed over one of the revolvers found in the fields. The manager of the mines company is still with the abductors. When contacted, the SP, Anil Kumar, confirmed the incident.

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