Gang kidnaps guest workers from Bihar for ransom in Erode; seven arrested

COIMBATORE: Seven persons of a nine member gang involved in kidnap of migrant workers from Bihar for ransom were arrested by police in Erode on Monday.

The mastermind of the kidnap racket, Bipin Kumar from Bihar met six persons from his home state in a train bound to Kerala on September 14.

“On knowing that they were proceeding to Kerala in search of jobs, Bipin Kumar promised to get them better jobs in Erode. Trusting him, the six persons got down at Erode railway station and accompanied him,” police said.

The accused took them to a house in a van to Thendral Nagar in ‘Periasemur’ area, where the members of the gang arrived and attacked them demanding money.

The victims managed to get a total of Rs 1.15 lakh from their family members online and gave it to the kidnappers, who then dropped them near Coimbatore.

The migrant workers then went to Chennai, where they got admitted in Stanley Hospital for treatment with the help of their friend. Based on their complaint, the Chennai police informed the Erode Superintendent of Police G Jawahar, who formed a special team to probe the case.

During a vehicle check, the police nabbed seven members of the gang near Villarasampatti four road on Sunday night. The arrested persons were identified as Bipin Kumar, the mastermind along with Tamil Selvan, Subash, Prakash, Sasi Kumar, Boopalan and Kannan, while a search is on for two others Motilal from Bihar and Pugalenthi.

Police seized a van used for kidnap and Rs 10,000 from the culprits. Inquiries revealed that Bipin Kumar was already facing a case for conning migrant workers in a similar fashion.