Main accused had allegedly sold his two kids too
PNS | DEHRADUN
The Dehradun police arrested four gang members, including two women, for kidnapping a two-year-old boy from the Yamuna Colony area and selling him for Rs two lakh in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The main accused, Rakesh (52), has also allegedly sold his own two children in the past, the senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said. In a Press conference on Monday, the SSP informed that the case unfolded on January 2, when Reena, a mentally unstable woman residing in Yamuna Colony, filed a complaint at Cantt Police Station. She reported the abduction of her two sons, Akash (5) and Vikas (2). “Investigation led the police to Rakesh, who had frequented Reena’s house.
Witnesses confirmed that Rakesh returned Akash to Yamuna Colony’s gate on the evening of January 2. Reena’s family revealed that on December 16, 2024, Rakesh, along with an elderly woman, had lured Reena and her two sons to accompany them as he was their relative. Days later, Rakesh abandoned Reena near her village in Bijnor on December 30. The investigation revealed that Rakesh, a long-time resident of Dehradun who worked as a gardener and cleaner in the Ordnance Factory, was involved in the crime along with his accomplices Rahul, Taniya, Priyanka and Senti.” Using manual surveillance and intelligence, police tracked Rakesh and Taniya to Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, where they had been hiding at Rahul’s aunt’s house. Upon interrogation, Rakesh revealed that the two-year-old boy had been sold to Priyanka and Senti in Dhampur for Rs two lakh.
The police apprehended Priyanka and Senti, who disclosed that the child had been further sold to a family in Bijnor. The child was recovered safely from this location, Singh said. He claimed that Rakesh confessed to orchestrating the abduction and luring Reena with promises of financial assistance during interrogation. “He collaborated with Rahul’s daughter Taniya, who had informed him about a demand for a child in Dhampur. They devised a plan to sell Reena’s younger son for profit. Rakesh also admitted to selling his own children with the help of the same gang,” the SSP stated.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Rakesh (52), originally from Bijnor, currently residing in Dehradun, Taniya (20), daughter of Rahul, a Muradabad resident but temporarily residing in Dehradun, Priyanka (22) from Dhampur, Bijnor and Senti (25) from Dhampur, Bijnor. Singh said that another key accused Rahul is still absconding and efforts to locate and apprehend him are ongoing. “The police teams are now delving deeper into the gang’s activities, including Rakesh’s past crimes involving his own children,” the SSP said.
