Abduction cases to be solved fast: DGP

PATNA: The new year began on a grim note for the Bihar police, troubled as they are by the spate of incidents of crime, including kidnapping for ransom cases in December 2010, though they claim that of the 73 kidnapping for ransom cases registered with them in 2010, only four-five cases are left to be cracked.
Of the eight kidnapping for ransom cases registered in November last year, seven have been effectively solved and only the perplexing case of plywood trader Ajay Kushwaha, who was abducted from Bairiya under Ahiyapur police station in Muzaffarpur on November 29, 2010, remains to be cracked, director general of police (DGP) Neelmani said.
Even the chief minister has directed the police to tighten the noose around kidnappers. He has also spoken to the DGP and other senior police officers in this regard.
In December 2010, 12 such cases were registered with the police, including that of garment merchant Neeraj Gupta, which occurred on December 29. Although Gupta's two-wheeler was recovered from the Bihar-Jharkhand border, there is no trace of him.
"We are hopeful of cracking this case in a day or two. Two persons have been arrested in the Gupta case and interrogation is on. Further investigation by the Bihar police and their counterparts in Jharkhand is on to recover Neeraj Gupta," said DGP Neelmani, who believes that the arrests will act as a deterrent for kidnappers.
The state's top police brass told TOI that the Bihar police have chalked out an action plan to curb crime and also effectively crack the remaining four to five kidnapping for ransom cases in the first few days of 2011.
"Agreed that the people of the state are worried over the few cases of kidnapping for ransom that have occurred in the recent months, they should repose faith in the police. The Bihar police successfully cracked abduction cases of Shubham, garment trader Deepak Sah, Lalkun Kumar among others in November-December 2010," the DGP said, adding that five persons were arrested in the Deepak Sah abduction case.
Expressing concern over the fact that Ajay Kushwaha has not yet been recovered from the clutches of abductors, the DGP said that the Maujelal Sahni gang is responsible for Kushwaha's abduction. "Maujelal Sahni, already on remand, has been re-arrested in jail itself. I am hopeful that police will recover Kushwaha soon."
He said the Bihar police are all set to launch the annual reward function on January 11, a yearly feature. On January 11, 2011, approximately 500 bravery awards will be given to policemen with exemplary records.
Interestingly, another feature of this function will be that some common people will also be rewarded by the Bihar police for extending co-operation to the police under community policing.