COIMBATORE: The Podanur police in the city on Wednesday arrested four men, including two policemen, on charges of kidnapping two young men and demanding a ransom of Rs 50 for their release. Ironically, the two kidnapped young men were also arrested at the end as police investigations revealed that they were involved in illegal online lottery sales. The arrested kidnappers have been identified as J Kaalidas, 31, and J Ramkumar, 31, of Tirupur, P Mohan, 37, and V Anand, 38. Mohan and Anand are policemen attached to Nallur police station in Tirupur. On Tuesday evening, a 31-year-old woman from Indira Nagar in Podanur filed a complaint stating that her younger brother, M Navin, 29, and his friend, P Nirmal Kumar, 29, were kidnapped by unidentified men on Monday. She stated that the kidnappers had contacted her over the phone and demanded a Rs 50 lakh ransom for their release and warned that both men would be killed if the amount was not paid immediately. The Podanur police registered a case under Section 140(2) of the BNS Act and launched investigations. Officers arranged a trap to catch those responsible. Acting on police directions, Navin’s family travelled to Veerapandi in Tirupur to deliver the money to the suspects. While they waited, Mohan and Anand arrived to collect the cash, and officers positioned at the spot detained them. In the meantime, the other suspects left the two youths near Bhavani in Erode and attempted to flee, but they were also arrested. A police official said Kaalidas and Ramkumar had planned and carried out the kidnap. The two policemen, who were known to them, did not take part in the kidnapping, but came to receive the ransom. All four were booked and remanded in judicial custody. Now the twist in the tale. During investigations, police found that Navin and Nirmal Kumar were involved in illegal online lottery sales. A separate case was registered against them for being involved in lottery sales. They were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
