Abducted Kashmiri businessman rescued from Punjab

New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) A 40-year-old Kashmiri businessman, who was abducted by his two business partners from Delhi's Kashmiri Gate area, was rescued from Punjab, an official said on Saturday.

After six hours, Delhi Police along with its counterpart Punjab Police managed to rescue the victim and nabbed the kidnappers from Phagwara in Punjab.

The accused have been identified as Nishar Ahmad (48) and Imtiyaz Ahmad (48) --both residents of village Pahroo Navgav, district Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (north), Sagar Singh Kalsi, said that on Friday, a Police Control Room (PCR) call was received at Kashmiri Gate police station regarding the kidnapping of a man from the area.

"The call was received from a Kashmir-based number and on initial enquiry, it was revealed that two Kashmiris have abducted one man from Hare Rama Travels in the area. The CCTV footage near the travel agency was analysed and it was revealed that the accused abducted Sayad Tarikh in a taxi," said the DCP.

"A case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code was registered and after scanning CCTV footages, it was found that the taxi- swift dzire -- is going towards Kashmir through G.T. Karnal Road. The police teams tasked with investigation immediately chased and a W.T. message was also flashed subsequently to police of Haryana and Punjab," said the DCP.

The taxi was intercepted at Phagwara, with the help of Punjab Police and the victim was safely rescued from the clutches of the accused.

During interrogation, it was revealed that both the victim and the accused are business partners and there is a monetary dispute of Rs 55 lakh between them.

"The victim was not in a position to repay his debt. When the victim opposed paying his debt, both the accused threatened to kill him and asked him to quietly go with them to Jammu and Kashmir and if he spoke to someone in-between, his dead body would not be found," said the official.

"The duo accused was planning to recover Rs 55 lakh from the family members of the victim after the abduction. The accused also impersonated police officers before the taxi driver who was hired by them," said the official.