A year-old boy, who was allegedly kidnapped on Friday, was rescued safely in less than three hours, thanks to a timely and concerted effort by the Government Railway Police.
The baby had been entrusted to a co-passenger by his mother, as she went to buy a ticket at the Secunderabad Railway Station around 6.30 a.m., said police. B. Maragamma, a native of Kalaburagi who works as a daily labourer, had arrived at Secunderabad with her son, Venkatesh, by Narsapur Express. They were supposed to take another train to her town, Sedam.
At the station, she had a brief conversation with an unknown woman who reportedly told her that she too was travelling to Sedam. Maragamma entrusted her son’s safety and went to the general reservation counter to buy a ticket. But when she returned, the woman and her son could not be found anywhere on the platform.
The police were alerted and they swung into action. Officials first checked the footage on CCTV units from various points and identified the woman’s movement. As seen in the footage, the woman observed the surroundings, slowly walked out with the boy from the platform and took an autorickshaw at the main entrance.
Police said enquiries with auto-rickshaw drivers helped identify a bearded driver, who had carried the woman and the boy in his vehicle. Upon being enquired, the trip destination and approximate residence of the woman was found near a liqour shop in Kavadiguda.
The accused woman was identified as Lingala Soni, a native of Sholapur, and presently residing at Tallabasthi in the same locality. She was booked for kidnapping. An investigation was opened.
