A highway crash in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly on Sunday evening led to the dramatic rescue of a kidnapped Gurugram man and two children, while killing three of the alleged abductors and leaving another critically injured, police said.
The victims had been abducted from Gurugram and were being transported through Bareilly when the SUV they were travelling in collided with a tanker on the Bareilly-Rampur stretch of the Lucknow-Delhi highway. The accident claimed five lives in total, including three of the kidnappers.
According to police, the accused had kidnapped the man, identified as Manoj, along with two children, and were taking them through Bareilly when their vehicle, a newly purchased Bolero, rammed into a tanker. The impact was so severe that the SUV was completely mangled.
While three of the kidnappers died on the spot, the children survived with injuries and were rushed to a hospital. Manoj was also recovered and admitted for treatment.
3 ACCUSED DEAD, ONE CRITICAL
The deceased have been identified as Manmohan, a resident of Bareilly; Sikandar from Pilibhit; and Vishesh Yadav from Rampur. A fourth accused, Prince, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment under police watch.
Initial investigation suggests the kidnapping may have been carried out either for ransom or due to a personal dispute. Police said Manmohan, one of the deceased accused, had links to Manoj’s extended family.
During questioning, investigators learned that a woman associated with Manoj’s family was allegedly in a relationship with Manmohan and wanted to marry him, which Manoj opposed. Police suspect this conflict may have triggered the abduction. There are also indications that the accused were planning to murder Manoj.
HARYANA POLICE TO TAKE OVER PROBE
Bareilly Police, led by senior police officer Manush Pareek, cracked the case following the accident and alerted Haryana Police. A team from Haryana has reached Bareilly and will take over further investigation, as the kidnapping originated in Gurugram.
Officials said the accused were possibly planning to shift the children to another location along the Moradabad-Bareilly route when the accident occurred, inadvertently exposing the crime and leading to the victims’ rescue.
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