8-year-old Mumbai boy's appetite ruins kidnapper's revenge plans

A month after a child from Chunabhatti was kidnapped and mysteriously brought back by a man without any ransom demand, the Crime Branch has managed to get to the root of the problem a hilarious plan that was ruined by a child's appetite.

Also read: Kidnapper abducts boy, returns him in 10 days without any ransom

Kamlesh Chauhan had kidnapped Bhushan Sawant (inset) from a playground and dropped him back at the same spot

mid-day had reported on June 25 that Bhushan Sawant (8) was abducted by a man from a playground in Prem Nagar. Some days later, the man, who has been identified as Kamlesh Chauhan, brought Bhushan back to the same playground. No ransom calls were made, no money exchanged hands.

CCTV footage showing Chauhan walking off with the child

Parents, who had registered the case with the Chunabhatti police, and the cops themselves were at their wits' ends as to why someone would do such a thing. The CCTV cameras at Chunabhatti station showed the man and child walking off hand in hand.

mid-day's June 25 report

The boy only remembered that he was offered a mango, and that his kidnapper took him to Nashik bus depot, and then to a village where he ate, played and slept. The kidnapper then brought him back to the same spot from where he took him. More than a month after the case was registered, Crime Branch Unit VI got a tip-off that the accused would be in Igatpuri. Cops laid a trap and arrested Kamlesh. When they interrogated him, he revealed his ‘master plan'.

Raising a 'soldier'
The accused was identified as Kamlesh Chauhan (19), who works as a security guard in Igatpuri, Nashik. Chauhan was sick of the bullying he had to endure from his colleagues at the security agency and wished to extract revenge. Hence, he thought of a unique plan - he would kidnap a young boy and raise him to be a strong man who would avenge the abuse his ‘father' had to bear daily.

Senior Police Inspector Shripat Kale, Unit VI of Crime Branch, said, "Chauhan wanted to take revenge by assaulting the bullies, but he was always overpowered by his colleagues. So, he thought that he would abduct a small boy, take good care of him and after making him strong, the boy could help him take his revenge."

However, after Chauhan managed to recruit a cadet for his cause, he found the ‘training' too hot to handle. According to officials, Chauhan took the eight-year-old to his village in Igatpuri, but was astounded by his appetite. Kale further added, "He roamed for a while in the city and later went to his native place along with the boy.

But, after witnessing the amount of food the boy ate, Chauhan realised he wouldn't be able to afford him for long. So, he dropped him at the same place from where he had picked the child up." Police said Chauhan's vengeful scheme drew inspiration from several movies of the '70s and '80s, which he decided to ape. But, fortunately, his version of the plan turned out to be a dud.

Chauhan had earlier worked in other security agencies and had recently shifted to Igatpuri. He has been booked under IPC section 363 (kidnapping) and handed over to the Chunabhatti police, who had been hunting for him for more than a month.