A 14-year-old girl was kidnapped for ransom in east Delhi’s Shahdara on Wednesday by a man she had been in contact with on social media for the past two years, said police officers aware of the case, adding that the girl was rescued on Thursday and the suspect and his accomplice were arrested. One of those arrested told police that he wanted the ransom money to trade in the share market, and had planned the kidnapping a month ago. (Representational image)

The girl lives in Tahirpur in Shahdara’s Seemapuri with her parents and studies in Class X, according to the police.

On Wednesday, the Shahdara police received a complaint from the girl’s father that his daughter had been kidnapped. The man told the police that his daughter went for tuition that day but did not return home, and her phone was turned off, said a police officer associated with the case. The man said that he and his wife searched the neighbourhood but could not find her, and later that night, he received a call from his daughter’s phone number from a man who said his daughter would be harmed if he did not pay ₹50 lakh as ransom, said the officer.

Based on his complaint, the police registered a first information report under Section 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code and started an investigation.

“Six teams were formed to work on the case as time is crucial in kidnapping cases. Footage from as many as 60-70 CCTV cameras were analysed, and we saw that the girl had gone towards Mansarovar Park Metro station,” said deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Rohit Meena.

According to a police officer who asked not to be identified, the police checked the girl’s social media accounts — a routine matter in cases of kidnapping of women and children — and discovered that she was in touch with a man named Ravi right until the moment she went missing.

The suspect was identified as Ravi Kumar, 18, a resident of Loni, said DCP Meena.

“We tracked Ravi through technical surveillance and apprehended him near Kashmere Gate bus terminus, where he was going to take a bus to Bihar,” said the officer cited anonymously above.

Kumar’s interrogation revealed he had befriended the girl on a social media website at least two years ago. He said that he wanted the ransom money to trade in the share market, and had planned the kidnapping a month ago, said investigators. Kumar said that he learned from the girl that she was being pressured by her family to study science in Class XI, whereas she wanted to become a fashion designer, said investigators.

“So, Ravi told her that he would take her to Nepal, where she could study fashion design, and asked her to meet him on Wednesday,” said DCP Meena.

On Wednesday, the girl told her parents she was going for tuition, but instead she went to meet Ravi, who was waiting for her with his friend, Akash Kumar, 24.

However, instead of taking her to Nepal, the two took the girl to Akash’s house in Loni, locked her in a room, and then called her parents, said investigators.

“The police team carefully conducted a raid and rescued the girl on Thursday. We found her unconscious inside a locked room. She regained consciousness later,” said DCP Meena, adding that Akash was arrested from the spot.