In a dramatic turn of events in Delhi's Laxmi Nagar area, thieves stole a car with its owner's two children - aged two and eleven years old - inside, later demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh. The incident occurred on Friday night when the parents left their children in the running vehicle while they went into a nearby confectionery shop, police said on Saturday.
According to officials, the incident occurred at around 11.40 pm when a couple went to a confectionery shop on Laxmi Nagar Vikas Marg and left their two children in the car parked outside the shop. The couple left the vehicle running with the AC on for the kids while they went inside to buy sweets. During this time, a suspect opened the vehicle's door and drove away with the children inside.
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"The parents had briefly gone inside Heera Sweets to buy sweets when the car was stolen. When they came back, their vehicle and children were missing. Later, they approached the police and lodged a complaint," officials said.The police were informed about the kidnapping of an eleven-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy in their car, which was parked in front of the shop, with the engine running.
Officials said that the kidnapper demanded a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from the parents, negotiating through the victim's mother's phone during the kidnapping. Upon receiving information, police activated rescue teams immediately. SHO Shakarpur and the victim's mother, SHO Laxmi Nagar and the victim's father, along with two additional teams from PS Shakarpur, started chasing the car based on technical surveillance. Teams of Special Staff, ANS, and ACP Madhu Vihar were also mobilized for the search operation.
Speaking to ANI, additional DCP East, Avnish Kumar, said that immediately after receiving the information, several teams of Delhi Police were formed. 40 to 50 policemen were chasing the victim's car in 20 vehicles.
"The kidnapper was constantly changing their route. He reached Wazirabad via Ashok Nagar and then Outer North district. He realized that the police were chasing him, which is why he kept changing routes," he said. The Delhi Police team chased the car for about 150 to 200 kilometres and recovered it.
After a three-hour chase involving around 20 police vehicles, the kidnapper abandoned the car with the children inside and escaped. The car, along with the children, was found abandoned in the Samapur Badli area.
"The accused also had a hammer and a knife," the additional DCP pointed out. "Both children are safe and have been reunited with their parents," he said, adding that some valuables, including jewellery and mobile phones, were found intact as the kidnapper fled under the pressure of being chased by the police.
Multiple police teams, including those from the Outer North district and RPF, were involved in the search and rescue operation. The police were further scanning CCTV footage of the area to identify the accused. "The suspect will be arrested soon," officials said.