Five held for kidnap, assault of assistant film director

Chennai: Police arrested five men in connection with the abduction and assault of a 29-year-old assistant film director, Rajakumaran. The incident, linked to the victim's personal relationship with a woman, occurred in Arumbakkam on Thursday.According to police, Rajakumaran was on his way to a tea stall on his two-wheeler when a car hit him near Razak Garden. The occupants of the vehicle bundled him into the car, assaulted him, and threatened him to end his relationship with the woman. They also took away his two-wheeler and mobile phone before releasing him later that night.Rajakumaran's family filed a missing person complaint at Arumbakkam police station the same day. On Friday, he appeared at the station and narrated the incident. Acting on his complaint, a special team analysed CCTV footage from the area, identified the car and tracked down the suspects.On Saturday, police arrested five people — G Chandrasekar, 33, of West Mambalam, M Karthikeyan, 25, and Augustine Johnpaul, 21, both from Saidapet, Lalit Aditya, 21, of T Nagar, and V Diwakar, 21, of K K Nagar. Police also recovered his two-wheeler and mobile phone from the suspects."The motive behind the crime was to intimidate the victim into ending his relationship," said an investigation officer. The accused were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.