The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Abducted tour operator set free

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 01, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Abducted tour operator set free

Staff Reporter

Hunt on to nab accused film producer; three members of a gang held

HYDERABAD: A film producer, who allegedly kidnapped a tour operator from Jubilee Hills on Monday night, set free the latter after learning about the rescue operations launched by the police.

While a hunt was on to nab accused producer M. Venkatamuralikrishna, three of the 10-member Rayalaseema-based gang he had hired to execute the kidnap were picked up.

The victim Bose bought a fleet of buses from the producer for Rs. 1.10 crores some time ago, Jubilee Hills Inspector M. Srinivasa Rao said. A dispute arose between the two over a payment of Rs. 50,000. The producer accused Bose of failing to pay the amount, but the latter maintained he had not received all the vehicle documents.

As the controversy continued, the producer and his hired gang raided the tour operator's office in Jubilee Hills around 10.30 p.m., assaulted his supervisor, whisked him away to a private guest house on Road No. 72 in the same area and allegedly subjected him to torture. The kidnappers allegedly demanded Rs. 5 lakhs for his release .

On learning about the kidnapping through the victim's family members, the police launched a hunt .

"We continued our searches till late in the night and apparently on learning this, the kidnapper set him free," the Inspector explained.

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