Tiruchengode police rescue migrant workers kidnapped by gang

Namakkal: The Tiruchengodu police in Namakkal district on Saturday rescued six of the 10 migrant workers who were kidnapped by a four-member gang promising them jobs. The gang had demanded ransom for their release. The police arrested one of the gang members and are on the lookout for the three others.

According to Namakkal district superintendent of police S Rajesh Kannan, ten men from Murshidabad in West Bengal travelled to Tamil Nadu after a man named Mohan had contacted them over the phone promising them jobs. The 20 men got down at Salem Railway Junction on Friday night. Mohan, Suresh, Vasant and Somasundaram met them and took them to Tiruchengode in two vehicles.

"The gang kept the 10 men in a room near Tiruchengode rural police station. They snatched the migrant workers’ ID cards and personal belongings," the SP told TOI. The gang demanded ransom and forced them to contact their family members to transfer money for their release. Four of the workers got their families transfer Rs 18,000 each to the gang members. These four men were released. They returned to Salem Railway Junction.

Meanwhile, the SP received a tip from Murshidabad police regarding the abduction of the migrant workers. He directed a team led by Tiruchengode DSP P Krishnan to rescue the workers and nab the gang.

The team acted swiftly and rescued the six workers.

One of the victims, S Binay Das, 39, told TOI over the phone that they had travelled to Salem after Mohan had promised them jobs. "They demanded money, and we were unsure of what to do," he stated.

A Nydep Behara, 49, another worker, said the gang received a total of Rs 93,000, which included online transfers made by their families.

"The Namakkal police managed to recover the money from the gang and returned it to us," he said, adding that the police had given them food and shelter from Friday night until they boarded a train to West Bengal on Saturday evening.

The Tiruchengodu police arrested Suresh, 32. The SP said Suresh had a history of criminal cases, including an assault case.

Suresh suffered a leg fracture while trying to flee from the police. The SP reported, "We have admitted him to Namakkal Government Medical College and Hospital for treatment, and his condition is currently stable."

"We are searching for Vasanth, Somasundaram, and Mohan," the SP added.