A minor boy was kidnapped on Sunday by five men in Kalaburagi district in Karnataka.

In a ransom call made to the boy’s parents, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of  Rs 20 lakhs. The only discount they gave the boy’s parents was that the money could be paid in old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

Twelve-year-old Devakumar was however rescued and handed over to his parents on Monday. He had suffered minor injuries on his hand and head, but was out of danger. 

Police told The News Minute that four men, including an auto rickshaw driver were arrested by a team led by Kalaburagi SP Shashikumar on Monday when the boy’s father reached Kapanur industrial area to hand over the money to the kidnappers.  

Shashikumar said told The News Minute that the police were still looking for the person who was the mastermind behind this kidnap. “He is the brother of one of the accused who was arrested.”

“Shridhar Shivasharanappa Sangolagi, Vinod Ashok Kotagi and Vijaya Dashrath Kotga, who were arrested were in their early 20s. One of them was a II PU student in Kalaburagi town,” he said. 

Devakumar was kidnapped when he was going for his music class with his friend. The kidnappers, who came in an autorickshaw, asked Devakumar for directions to a nearby hospital. The boy got inside the autorickshaw to guide them, the kidnappers tied his hands and legs. They then took him to an isolated spot, where they asked him for his parent’s number. 

“They hit him on his head and attacked him with a sharp object. This left a cut on his hand. The boy was traumatized, but is better now and responding well to his parents,” said Shashikumar. 

“During the interrogation, we got to know that the accused had taken loans ranging from Rs 5-6 lakhs from many people. They planned to go to Goa for a holiday.  They told us that that they planned to use about Rs 6 lakh to pay their loans and the rest for a luxurious holiday. Since they knew the parents couldn’t have paid the amount in new currency they demanded Rs 20 lakh to be paid in old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes,” he said.