Six tribal persons allegedly confined to a house by a man from Osmanabad district in Maharashtra have been rescued by a police team from Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district.
The police have also arrested the accused under IPC sections of kidnapping, abduction, wrongfully restraining and confining, causing grievous hurt, slavery and criminal intimidation.
The accused and the rescued tribal persons were presented before the media by Tushar Dudi, Additional Superintendent of Police, Chintapalli, on Wednesday.
The arrested was identified as Subhash Anna Pawar, a resident of Wangi village of Bhum taluk in Osmanabad district.
Mr. Tushar said the complainant, Pangi Kesava Rao of Ebulam village in ASR district, had met the accused in the Rajahmundry Central Jail, where both had been lodged as remand prisoners in 2020.
After obtaining bail, Subhash had visited Kesava’s house in December 2021 and enquired about ganja smuggling. Later, Kesava introduced Subhash to his brother Govardhan and another person Gollori Haribabu, who promised Subhash to supply ganja. Subhash struck a deal with them and had even given ₹8 lakh as advance.
Later, as Haribabu and Govardhan were trying to smuggle about 1,700 kg of ganja in a van, they were caught by the police at Kirlampudi in December 2021. Govardhan, however, managed to escape. No sooner did Govardhan return to his village, Subhash came in a vehicle and took him to his house in Osmanabad and confined him there.
As Govardhan did not return home, Kesava, on June 20 this year, had taken Govardhan’s wife Dhana Laxmi and son Sandeep (2); his wife Yashodhamma and son Tarun (4); and other relatives Vanthala Chitti Babu and Ramana, to Subhash’s house and demanded the release of Govardhan from his confinement.
Instead of releasing Govardhan, the accused allegedly confined Dhana Laxmi, Sandeep, Yashodhamma and Tarun too, and said he would release them if Kesava supplied ganja worth ₹20 lakh.
Kesava also found that another tribal, Gemmeli Nagendra Babu, was confined by the accused for the same reason, said Mr. Tushar.
On return, Kesava filed a complaint, basing on which Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar took up the investigation and constituted a team to nab the accused.
The team visited Osmanabad, and with the support of Osmanabad SP Atul Kulkarni the accused was arrested and brought to ASR district on transit warrant.
