Mumbai was gripped by panic on Wednesday evening after a man allegedly attempted to abduct the five-year-old son of a Mumbai Police officer from the Worli Police Camp area. The incident was averted due to the alertness of the child’s mother, the timely intervention of local residents and swift action by the Worli police. The child was rescued safely and the accused has been arrested.
The accused has been identified as Laxman Kalu Chaudhary (55), a resident of the Sakinaka area. According to police, the child’s father, Sachin Taware, is currently serving as a Police Sub-Inspector at the Colaba Police Station.
As per police officials, Komal Taware (33), a homemaker residing at the Worli Police Camp, was cooking at home around 6.30 pm on Wednesday when her younger son, Smites (5), went to a nearby shop to buy snacks along with a neighbouring girl. About 15 minutes later, an eight-year-old girl, Aarvi Babar, returned in a frightened state and informed Komal that a man was forcibly taking Smites away.
Alarmed, Komal rushed towards the spot and spotted a man aged around 50–55 years dragging her son through a narrow lane leading towards the sea face. On hearing the mother’s screams, local residents immediately gathered at the spot and managed to rescue the child from the clutches of the accused. Meanwhile, a local citizen alerted the Mumbai Police control room.
Within minutes, Worli police personnel arrived at the scene and took the accused into custody. A case has been registered under sections related to attempt to kidnap. Police are conducting a detailed investigation to ascertain the motive of the accused and how he reached the area. Further probe is underway.