In a major inter-continental operation resembling an action-packed Hollywood thriller, the Chennai Police in coordination with State and Central intelligence agencies, elite Scotland Yard (london) and UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency on Saturday night rescued a British couple, who were abducted by an eight-member team from Chennai airport.
On Monday, Chennai Police Commissioner S George shared with reporters details of the operation coordinated simultaneously from london and Chennai by a crack team of investigators and detectives.
It all started when Thavaraja (59) and his wife Salaja (55) landed at Chennai airport from Colombo on May 29. The Sri lanka-born British citizens were on their way to Tiruchi to visit some temples before returning to london where Thavaraja owns a network of super markets. They had gone to Sri lanka to attend a family marriage.
When they came out of the airport, they saw a person holding a placard with the name Thavaraja written on it. He introduced himself as Kannan and claimed that he was sent by their tour operator to pick them up and take them to Tiruchi. It was only when the couple boarded the Bolero jeep they realised that they had been kidnapped.
The kidnap was plotted from london by one Ajanthan, an employee of the super market owned by Thavaraja. Ajanthan, a Sri lanka-born Tamil, wanted to make some quick money and he befriended another Sri lankan by name Ramesh. Ramesh had a friend by name Kannan in Tiruchi who agreed to join the operation. Ajanthan collected the tour programme of the Thavarajas, and sent the pictures of the couple to Kannan by email.
On May 29 evening, Dharshini, the london-based daughter of the kidnapped couple, got a call from the mobile phone of her father and a stranger told her that the Thavarajas were under his custody. The caller demanded a ransom of `2.48 crore (300,000 pound sterling) for releasing her parents. Kannan, who made the call, asked her to hand over the money to Ajanthan.
Dharshini pleaded with Kannan for some time to mobilise the cash and informed about the kidnapping to her relatives in london. He in turn called his friend in Chennai and told him about the incident. By May 30, a missing person case was registered in Anna Nagar Police Station in Chennai.
Dharshini was smart enough to record the audio clippings of subsequent calls she received from the caller in Tamil Nadu and mailed the same to the Chennai Police.
"We did not have any clues other than the audio clipping furnished by Dharshini. We instructed her to plead with the abductors for more time to mobilise the money. Meanwhile, we got into touch with Scotland Yard and SOCA, UK. This was to solicit their cooperation as the abductors were making use of the mobile phone registered in UK," said George.
The Chennai Police formed eight teams to zero in on the abductors. By Friday, the Scotland Yard and the local police could make out that the abductors were moving around Cuddalore, which is 150 km south of Chennai. The local police with the help of informers picked up the abductors on Saturday night. "Eight people, including three Sri lankan Tamils and a woman were arrested and the Thavarajas were rescued. Ajanthan and Ramesh had been picked up by the Scotland Yard," said George.
Thavaraja and Salaja, looking relieved and happy were present during the Press meet. A senior official in the Chennai Police said this was the first of its kind mission involving police from an Indian state and two branches of the london Metro Police.