Tempo driver arrested for trying to kidnap boy in Parel

Mumbai: A 30-year-old tempo driver from Solapur was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly trying to kidnap a 10-year-old boy in Parel after luring him for a ride in his vehicle. The accused – identified as Sadashiv Shigate – worked as a driver in Pune.

The complainant, Anil Gupta, 41 lives in Parel with his wife, an 18-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. “After having dinner, Gupta’s son was sitting outside their house around 11:30pm on Tuesday when the accused approached him. Shigate convinced the boy to sit in his car, saying that he would take him for a ride in his vehicle,” said a police officer.

The suspect then took the boy to his four-wheeler, parked some distance away from the house and was trying to help the boy sit in the vehicle when the boy suspected some foul play and started crying, the officer added.

“Meanwhile, Gupta’s neighbour, Ramesh Valmiki, was returning home and heard the boy crying. He went to check on him and found the boy was trying to get his hand, held by the accused, freed,” said the police officer.

The boy was crying and said that the suspect was trying to take him away. While all this was happening, other local residents, including Gupta, reached the scene and nabbed the driver. They then informed the police about the possible kidnapping and handed over the accused to the police.

“A team from Kalachowkie Police Station reached the spot and took the accused into custody. During interrogation, the accused revealed that he came to Mumbai and parked his car some distance away from the victim’s residence,” said deputy commissioner of police, Zone 4, Pravin Mundhe. “It appears that the suspect was taking away the boy with some wrong intention. We are verifying the facts.”

The accused has been booked for attempting to kidnap the child under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 511 (attempting to commit offences) of the Indian Penal Code based on the statement given by the victim’s father.