An attempt by six people to abduct a 30-year-old man went awry when the assailants, fleeing in a car, were first caught in heavy traffic on the Noida-Delhi road and then their vehicle broke down, police said on Wednesday.
The victim identified as Sachin Pathak, alias Chini, escaped from the clutches of the kidnappers when they got down from their Honda City to stop a random Maruti WagonR to flee the spot, officials said.
Six people, including the four who were in the car, were arrested on Tuesday on charges of kidnapping, robbery, among others, said Neeraj Malik, Station House Officer (SHO) of Noida Sector-39 Police Station.
The accused have been identified as Mustaqeem (23), Mohit Awana (24), Deepak (22) and Gaurav (22), Balendra (32) and Raheesh (24), all residents of Noida. Mustaqeem, Mohit, Deepak and Gaurav were arrested from Yamuna Pusta Road while they were travelling with illegal firearms and ammunition in a stolen car, said the SHO.
Based on information received from them, Balendra and Raheesh were arrested for their role in the conspiracy, he said.
“On Monday, Sachin, a native of Uttrakhand and currently living in Noida, was abducted from Okhla Bird Sanctuary Metro Station by the assailants. They sped towards Kalindi Kunj in Delhi but were met with heavy traffic on the route. The assailants then decided to take a U-turn and drove in the wrong lane for some distance.
“Later their car had a flat tyre near Sector 94 ‘gaushala’ and they got down to stop an oncoming WagonR but at this moment, Sachin fled from the Honda City and jumped across into the ‘gaushaala’ to escape the assailants,” the official said.
On Tuesday, a complaint was registered at the Sector 39 police station after which an FIR was registered and investigation taken up, the official added.
During probe, it emerged that the assailants and Sachin had a dispute over the leadership of a tempo union operating from Sector 94 metro station after which the conspiracy was hatched. Sachin was recently elected as Pradhan of tempo union at Sector 94 metro station in Noida.
Based on information received from them, two more accused — Balendra (32) and Raheesh (24), were also arrested for their role in the conspiracy, the police said.
One of the accused, Pala Pradhan, involved in the conspiracy is absconding and efforts are on to arrest him, the police added.
Four stolen cars were impounded from their possession and an illegal firearm along with ammunition seized from them, the police said.