Police and Fire Services personnel on Tuesday ended a hostage drama and rescued the three members of a family from the clutches of a youth, who was holding them hostage at gunpoint at Santipada in Balangir town.
According to reports, the youth, identified as one Bikram Panda, had kept the victims in captivity for several hours over an alleged relationship issue. Getting information, Town police and Fire Services personnel led by SDPO Tophan Bag rushed to the spot and stormed the house and rescued the family members through the window of the room with the help of ladder and ropes. “After negotiations with the youth over phone, we decided to enter the room by donning bullet proof vests. We managed to rescue all the family members through the window with ladder and ropes,” said Balangir SP Nitin Kusulsar. “It is suspected that the youth kept the family members hostage over a relationship issue. He threatened to shoot himself and others whenever the security personnel entered. The youth seems to be educated and he has knowledge about the criminal laws. We prepared a blueprint and were successful to rescue the hostages,” said Kusulsar. As per reports, the youth was in a relationship with a girl who works as a clerk at the Bhima Bhoi Medical College & Hospital here. The family members of the girl had recently rejected his proposal of marrying her. Meanwhile, the youth was being interrogated by cops after he was taken into custody.