In a shocking incident, an Indian Navy sailor was abducted from Chennai and burnt alive in the forests of Palghar, near Mumbai, by three unidentified miscreants after he refused to pay up a ransom of Rs 10 lakh to the abductors.
The victim navy man – identified as Surajkumar Mitilesh Dubey –was found on early Friday in half-burnt, semi-nude condition in a forested area. He was rushed first to the Cottage Hospital at Dahanu and then onto the Sion Hospital in north-central Mumbai, where he succumbed to burns.
In his dying declaration, Surajkumar – hailing from Daltonganj in Jharkhand – said that he was posted on INS Agrani in the run-up to the incident. He was abducted from Chennai on January 30 and held captive there by three unknown persons, while he was returning to his work station after his vacation.
Upon his arrival from Ranchi to Chennai to join duty on January 30, Surajkumar was accosted at gunpoint outside the Chennai airport and whisked away to an unknown location where he was captive for 3 days.
The abductors allegedly demanded a ransom of Rs. 10 lakh from him. When he refused to pay up the ransom, he was abducted and brought to the jungles of Vevji within the limits of Gholdwad of Talasari in Palghar district.Giving the details of how the police traced Surajkumar in the forests, Investigating officer in-charge of the case Sarjerao Kumbhar said: “After he refused pay them the ransom, they poured petrol on him and set him on fire in the jungles before decamping from there. Some local people alerted us after seeing him in a half-burnt condition”.
The police have meanwhile registered a case of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping of ransom, robbery and sections of the Arms Act against three unknown persons and have launched a massive search for the three adductors who eventually set the victim on fire.
In a related development, Surajkumar’s body has been sent for a post-mortem. The police have informed his family in Jharkhand and the Naval authorities in Mumbai have been informed of his death.
The police are examining the CCTV footages from Gholvad and surrounding areas and checking the mobile call records, as part of their effort to trace the culprits behind the abduction and ghastly murder.