Screengrab of video shows children being abducted. (X/HateDetectors)
Karnataka child kidnapping: On Wednesday afternoon, two young children were abducted from their home in Athani town, Karnataka's 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.
The dramatic abduction was captured on CCTV, providing vital clues for law enforcement. As soon as the children’s 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 #Karnataka’s #Belagavi district, on Wednesday afternoon.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) October 25, 2024
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
By 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.
According to the investigating officer, the children’s 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.
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