Friends, kin behind 97% kidnaps

NEW DELHI: Last year saw a steep 50% rise in kidnappings for ransom in the city. More alarmingly, in all but one of these cases, at least one of the kidnappers was known to the victim — indicating that increasingly, well-educated people with no criminal record are falling to the lure of quick riches by any means.
There were 33 reported cases of kidnapping in 2009, up from 22 in 2008. In 32 , relatives or friends were behind the act, Delhi Police said.
While one case has still not been solved, five ended in murder. Five people with past criminal records have been arrested in these cases. In the remaining 27 cases, police arrested 73 people, mostly young, who were first-time offenders and had committed the crime after being ‘‘influenced’’ by a movie or to tide over financial problems due to the economic slowdown.
"Kidnapping a child for ransom is the most heinous act and Delhi Police has zero tolerance for such offences," police commissioner Y S Dadwal had said recently. Dadwal had also added that he was worried by the trend of well-educated first-timers taking to this crime.
Recently, an MBA student, Syyed Aftab, plotted the kidnap and murder of a class XI student of Delhi Public School, Gurgaon, and then negotiated the ransom money with the victim’s family for 40 days. Three of the accused in the case were the victim’s neighbours.
Police say kidnapping for ransom is perceived by offenders as a ‘‘low risk, high gain’’ crime.
"An equal number of kidnappings for ransom cases go unreported. The family of the victim does not want to involve the police as it draws undue attention and the risk of the abductors harming the victim. In all cases, the victims were boys aged between 4 and 21 years," said a senior police officer.
QnA: Is the NCR the most unsafe region in India?