No sign of whereabouts of the abducted marble businessman Raju Mandal could be found even two days after he was kidnapped from a nearby place where his shop is located in Pandra on Monday evening.
Two teams, one of Ranchi police led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (Kotwali) Anshuman Kumar and another of Criminal Investigation Department, are trying to locate Raju and his abductors. His last confirmed location has been determined to be Patna, as this is where his mobile phone was switched on for the last time.
Raju left home in Friends Colony on Monday evening for his shop, Shiv Shakti Marble and Tiles, saying that he has to meet some police officials for a business deal. At the shop, he was taken to a car where some people dressed in uniforms of Jharkhand Jaguar (STF) were standing. They drove off once Mandal was seated in the vehicle.
Raju’s mobile phone was getting switched on and off repeatedly, and was switched off around 9 pm on Monday. later in the night, the kidnappers called his wife, Manju Mandal, to demand a ransom of Rs1 crore, threatening to murder him if the amount was not paid.
Scared as they are, Raju’s family members even initially claimed that he has gone to their village. A case of kidnapping has been filed with Pandra police on Tuesday. Patna police has also been contacted as Raju’s last known location was seen to be Patna.
Call details of the calls made to Raju’s mobile phone on Monday are being searched for clues in the case, informed police officials. His neighbours from Friends Colony were also questioned by investigators to ascertain whether this kidnapping could be a result of rivalry.
“The two teams looking after the case are investigating the matter on all possible angles. Every lead is being thoroughly looked into. We will recover Raju soon,” stated Hatia ASP Prashant Anand.