Jamaluddin Ahmed learnt the perils of showing off the hard way — his son was abducted by a relative who believed the migrant labourer had enough money for a hefty ransom.
North Dinajpur police on Friday rescued Jamaluddin’s son Wajed, 24, from Chanchol in neighbouring Malda. The abductor, Jamaluddin’s cousin Rafikul, was arrested and a hunt is on for his associates.
“The abduction took place as Jamaluddin had the habit of spinning stories about his earnings, which prompted Rafikul to hatch a plot to abduct his son,” said a police source.
Sources said Jamaluddin, in his early sixties and a resident of Titiha village in North Dinajpur, had been to Delhi couple of years back in search of job and had been visiting the capital since then. “Preliminary investigations suggest he used work under a trader, both in his office and in his home as his aide,” said a police source.
Since his return a month ago, locals said the lifestyle of Jamaluddin’s family changed.
According to a neighbour, his family members were seen in flashy clothes.He also bought a motorcycle and replaced the tinned roof of his house with a concrete one.
“While speaking with us, he would often brag about his earnings. He told us about his plans to spend Rs 10 lakh on his daughter’s wedding and that he would pay another Rs 10 lakh to the groom,” said a resident.
Jamaluddin talk became a point of discussion in the village as the family used to be like any other agrarian household in the village.
“We have learnt that Rafikul thought of abducting his son,” said a police source.
According to him, when Jamiluddin fell ill last week, Rafikul approached Wajed and said that he knows a good doctor in Malda.
“He could convince Wajed to go with him to Malda to get the doctor to their home. The duo left for Malda on September 23,” said a police official.
As they did not return, Jamaluddin’s family members got worried and they tried contacting both Wajed and Rafikul but their cellphones were off. On September 24, they filed a missing diary at Itahar police station.
Police started investigation and on the same night, the family members received a call. They were told that Wajed has been abducted and that the family will have to pay Rs 40 lakh as ransom, said a source.
On Tuesday again, the abductor contacted the family. This helped the police to trace the cell phone’s location and they found that the phone was in use in Chanchol in Malda.
“We started marking preparations and tried to identify the spot. In due course, a house at Hararga village in Chanchol was identified. On Friday, a raid was conducted and the youth was found there. Also, Md. Rafikul, his uncle, was nabbed. It was his plan to make some money by abducting the youth,” said Sumit Kumar, SP, North Dinajpur.
“I do not have so much money,” Jamaluddin said. “I was so convinced by his lifestyle and talk and thought he has earned good money in Delhi. That is why I made the plan,” Rafikul said.