On December 25, Rakesh Kumar -- working with the Food Corporation of India Ltd and a resident of Old Trilokpuri -- informed the police that his son Rahul was kidnapped while returning home from the Navshakti Public School in Trilokpuri at around 10 a.m. on December 22. He said that the abductors had demanded a Rs 5-lakh ransom. A special team comprising ASI Shiv Raj Singh, HC Devender and Constable Dinesh was formed to rescue the child. Raids were conducted in Azadpur, Noida, Ferozabad, Etah Mainpuri and Bhind Muraina in UP.

On December 25 itself the police received information that Azadpur resident Surender could give them some clues. He was accordingly summoned to the police station the following morning. Surender told them that his brother Pappu (20) -- a resident of Hathbandh in Ferozabad district, UP -- was possibly behind the kidnapping as he had an axe to grind with Kumar. He also said that Pappu lived with one Rameshwar (20) in Noida. Rameshwar's house was next raided. The police team was informed that Pappu and his friends -- Ferozabad resident Satpal (18) and Aligarh resident Rakesh (19) -- had left for Hathbandh village on the morning of December 27. Pappu's house in Hathbandh was raided and the child was rescued with the help of the local police on January 1. However, all the accused managed to escape.

2 bootleggers held
PCR staff arrested two alleged bootleggers near Kanjhawala Chowk on Tuesday afternoon. Samaipur resident Sunil and Azadpur resident Dharmender were stopped on suspicion and allegedly found to be carrying 230 pouches of country-made liquor -- Masti brand. They were handed over to the Kanjhawala police.