Two Sadhus in police custody after they kidnapped a 14 yr old boy in Betalghat, Nainital
A sensational case of kidnapping has been registered at Betalghat police station on Thursday evening after a gang of two saffron clad imposters/ sadhus, one about 16 to 18 years old and another in beard about forty five years old were caught red handed by the inhabitants of some villages n revenue police personnel of Betalghat block in Nainital district, thrashed by angered villagers and thereafter arrested.
Just a month ago in Betalghat block’s Darmora Gram Sabha, a fourteen year old adolescent girl was also kidnapped by some local criminals, gangraped and subsequently diabolically murdered sending shock waves across Nainital and entire Uttarakhand with all the young culprits behind bars having been booked for murder under section 302, and rape, 376, being tried under fast track court.
According to a social activist of Betalghat, Nainital, Surendra Halsi this shocking incident of kidnapping of a 11 year old boy took place in Ratora village of Betalghat block conspired by two sadhus with unknown credentials, one of whom had been given shelter in Ratora village about two month ago by the local inhabitants.
It so happened that about two months ago a mysterious 18 year old Sadhu namely Sandhyagiri, ( assumed name) started living in a temple in village Ratura, Bethalghat, Nainital, Uttarakhand and mixed with the villagers gaining their trust and confidence.
A family from Buradi, Delhi, originally hailing from Ratora village had recently arrived here with the family to performed traditional rituals of the family diety for which a “JAAGAR” ( Pooja) was arranged with the majority of villagers from Rataura n nearby villages participating in it.
Taking advantage of the situation Sandhyagiri alongwith another Sadhu/ imposter had misguided/ influenced the eleven year boy and clandestinely took him another village namely Halso_ Karad which is 2.5 kilometres away from Ratura under the jurisdiction of the same gram Sabha.
It seems that the 11 year innocent boy was kidnapped in the night when the family and villagers might be busy in the spiritual exercise in Ratura. When the family became free at 3 in the midnight, they noticed their son missing.
The family and the villagers started searching the boy in an around the village. In the meanwhile, according to Halsi, they got the message about the missing kidnapped terrified boy found in the nearby village locked in a temple’s room in saffron attire.
After kidnapping the boy from Village Ratura, it is said that he was locked in a room by these sadhus and forcibly dressed in saffron attire to later on take him outside the state in a vehicle which was traced about four kilometres away said Halsi.
When the boy’s cries were heard banging the room door by two labourers of the nearby Halso_ Karad village , they collected the villagers and rescued the boy with the help of the revenue police as well .
What’s interesting about this whole story is that the Sadhus (kidnappers) after locking the boy in the temple room of Halsi village had come back to Rataura gaon and were also with the villagers exhibiting their anxiety in searching the boy, pretending that they are innocent.
After the mystery was revealed later on, both these Sadhus were caught, thrashed by angered villagers and handed over to the Betalghat police.
The rescued boy and both the Sadhus are in police custody at present with in-depth investigations going on, to reveal the real motive of these culprits behind the kidnapping.
Meanwhile there are also reports that a vehicle with Haryana number allegedly involved in the crime is also in police custody at present. This incident has shocked one and all in Nainital district with everybody curious and anxious to know the actual ulterior motive of these two Sadhus.
After interrogation by the Revenue n regular police, the culprits have agreed to have kidnapped the boy. The police is now trying to go into the depth of the case to ascertain the real modus operandi behind such kidnappings in Nainital and other parts of Uttarakhand by these so called Sadhus and whether they are involved in other such kidnappings earlier as well.
pics: courtsey social media
