PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
A software engineer was allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, robbed and thrown off a bridge in Dehradun late on the night of May 6. Police registered the case on May 7 after the victim’s father, Vinod Kumar, filed a complaint at Premnagar police station.
According to the complaint, the incident took place when Akash Kumar, who works at a company in IT Park, was returning home after finishing his shift. His friends had dropped him at Sahastradhara crossing. He was waiting for a Rapido ride past midnight on May 6.
His father said that two men on a scooty allegedly forced Kumar to sit on their vehicle and took him to Jamunawala bridge near Hanuman temple in the Premnagar area. There, the accused reportedly assaulted him, snatched his mobile phone, cash and then fled after leaving him there. On the morning of May 7, when a temple priest was passing nearby, he noticed the victim lying at the side. The priest informed army personnel and with their help, the victim was taken to the bridge. They then contacted the victim’s family. Later, the victim’s father reached the spot, informed the police and called an ambulance and admitted him to Government Doon Medical College hospital.
Questions are also being raised about the alleged kidnapping claim. The victim reportedly said he was taken away by two men on a scooty, but he was seated behind both riders. People are asking how he was threatened in that position and if they intended to kidnap him, why he was not made to sit between them.
Sources in the police said CCTV footage reportedly shows the victim sitting on the scooty by himself without any resistance and taking the seat behind the two men. Another question being raised is why the victim did not resist when he was allegedly taken to Jamunawala, about 12 kilometres from the pickup point.
Kumar also alleged that when he first went to Premnagar police station to register an FIR, the sub-inspector refused to lodge the complaint and said the matter came under Raipur police station limits. Later at night, police personnel came to the hospital, took back the victim’s father and recorded the complaint.
Kumar is currently in hospital undergoing treatment. The police circle officer (City) Swapnil Muyal said that the victim is not in a condition to clearly explain the full details of the incident at present. Based on the father’s complaint, police teams have been formed to catch the accused. Officers are checking CCTV cameras installed near the crime scene and surrounding routes to trace them.
