Karnataka child kidnapping: On Wednesday afternoon, two young children were abducted from their home in Athani town, Karnatakas Belagavi district, sparking a swift police response. The siblings, four-year-old Swati Desai and three-year-old Vyam Desai, were at home with their grandmother after returning from school when unidentified individuals forcibly took them away in a Maruti Swift.CCTV footage captures the abductionThe dramatic abduction was captured on CCTV, providing vital clues for law enforcement. As soon as the childrens grandmother alerted authorities, the police launched an intensive search operation. A case was filed at the Athani police station, and efforts to track the abductors quickly gained momentum.Two young children were kidnapped from their home in #Athani town in #Karnatakas #Belagavi district, on Wednesday afternoon.The children, siblings Swati and Vyam Desai aged four and three respectively, had returned from school and were with their grandmother, when they were… pic.twitter.com/G58LdxctTE— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) October 25, 2024Police Rrescue operation and shootoutBy evening, authorities intercepted the kidnappers, leading to a tense standoff and gunfire. Belagavi Superintendent of Police confirmed that officers were forced to fire in self-defense after the suspects attacked them. “The suspects attacked the officers, and in self-defence, the police were forced to open fire, injuring one of the accused,” the SP stated. The injured suspect is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Athani, and three individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the abduction.Financial dispute allegedly behind abductionAccording to the investigating officer, the childrens father, a real estate businessman, reportedly owed the kidnappers a significant sum of 7 crore. The suspects allegedly resorted to kidnapping as a means of pressuring him to settle the debt.The children have since been safely reunited with their family, and further investigations into the case are underway.
