Noted Patna doctor kidnapped

PATNA: Noted neurosurgeon Dr Ramesh Chandra, was kidnapped on Saturday night. The police recovered his Indica car from the New Bypass Road area here on Sunday morning. A case has been lodged with the Jakkanpur police station in this connection. Chandra's wife and son are away in the USA. The doctor was driving the car as his driver was on leave. According to unconfirmed reports, the kidnappers have demanded a huge ransom for his release.Union minister C P Thakur has informed deputy prime minister L K Advani about the abduction and sought his intervention in the matter. A prominent jewellery shop owner, Sanjay Dayal, was also kidnapped from near his Rajendranagar residence here on late Saturday night. The police are yet to make any breakthrough in the Dayal abduction case. Dr Chandra was kidnapped while returning home from a dinner party hosted by Medical Council of India (MCI) member Ajay Kumar at his Ashiananagar residence in honour of leading neuroscientists of eight states attending their two-day conference here. Among others who attended the dinner party were Bihar medical education minister Shakeel Ahmed, medical education secretary Afzal Amanullah, ex-MCI chief Ketan Desai and cancer specialist of Mumbai S H Advani. Dr Chandra, Ahmed and Amanullah left Kumar's residence at the same time. In fact, the cars carrying Ahmad and Amanullah were moving behind Chandra's car till it took a right turn near Kendriya Vidyalaya for his Mithapur residence. An anonymous caller contacted Chandra's servant Sushil Kumar on phone on Sunday morning and informed him that Chandra's car was lying on the New Bypass Road. Doctor Saheb will talk to his family members on phone in his clinic, the caller was quoted as having said. We immediately contacted the police and told them about the phone call, said Captain Mahesh Chandra, brother of the neurosurgeon. The anonymous caller also talked to Ramesh Chandra's sister-in-law Nirmala Saxena. Later, the police recovered Dr Chandra's car. His broken spectacles were lying in the car. However, the police failed to recover his cell phone. DGP D P Ojha told an IMA delegation that the gang involved in the kidnapping had been identified. He assured the delegation that the doctor would be released soon. Ahmed informed RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav about the incident. He also talked to CM. Sushil said Chandra was in habit of returning home late at night every day. He said none of his family members presently resided here. They will be reaching here soon, he said. The news about the kidnapping spread like wildfire in the city on Sunday morning, with his well-wishers making a beeline for his house. The possibility of the same gang being involved in both the kidnapping cases cannot be ruled out. The evidence available on both the spots indicates that the criminals had planned meticulously, said a police officer. He said one person has been picked up from Punaichak in this connection. A few months ago, an orthopaedic surgeon, Bharat Singh, was also kidnapped.