Thane: Street food seller abducted, held captive for failure to repay loan; case registered against four persons

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A 33-year-old street food vendor was allegedly abducted by four persons and held captive at a house in Maharashtra's Thane district after he failed to repay a loan he had taken from one of the accused, police told news agency PTI on Monday.

The victim, who used to sell 'pani puri' (a spicy snack) at a stall in Kalyan town, had taken a loan of Rs one lakh at five per cent interest from a person about one-and-a-half years back, an official from MFC police station in Kalyan told PTI.

However, the lender later increased the interest to 10 per cent. The victim had made a payment of Rs 20,000 to him, but could not repay the remaining sum due to some problems, the official said.

On July 7, three persons arrived at the victim's stall. They allegedly abducted him and took him on a motorbike to the money lender's place, the police told PTI.

The money lender and other persons allegedly beat up the victim. They also asked the victim to handover his flat in Badlapur to them and also repay the money, or else he would not be released, the official told PTI.

The victim was allegedly held captive at the money lender's house during the night and beaten up by the lender and three others. He released on July 8 morning, after which he approached the police and lodged a complaint, the official said.

A case was registered on Sunday against the four accused under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 364(a) (kidnapping), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323, 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation), and provisions of the Maharashtra Money-Lending (Regulation) Act, the police told PTI.

A probe was on into the case, they said.

In another incident, four persons allegedly threatened the staff at a cable operator's office in Maharashtra's Thane district and one of them opened fire in the premises after an argument, police told PTI on Monday.

No one was injured in the incident which took place at around 7 pm on Sunday in Ulhasnagar area, an official from the police control room said, adding that a case has been registered against the four persons.

The accused went to the cable operator's office, enquired about the owner and asked the staff to keep away from a man whom they named. Later, one of the accused allegedly opened fire after a quarrel with security guards at the office entrance, the official told PTI.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Sudhakar Pathare dismissed rumours of firing at a local politician's office.

The Hill Line police have registered a case against the four accused under Indian Penal Code sections 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention), and provisions of the Arms Act, the control room official told PTI.

No arrest has been made so far. A probe is on into the case, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)