Delhi: Five abducted children rescued, reunited with families; kidnapper held

New Delhi [India], March 28 : Delhi Police rescued five abducted children aged between 4 and 10 years and arrested the kidnapper within 24 hours, officers said on Thursday.
The kidnapper was identified as Setu Verma (22), a resident of Uttar Pradesh, the police informed, adding that the rescued children were reunited with their families.
According to the police, sub-inspector Prithi Singh, assistant sub-inspector Udhar Namdev, fellow ASI Jai Singh and home guard Rakesh were at Narela railway station around 6.30 pm on March 18 when they spotted a youth roaming around with five children. Growing suspicious about the youth's intentions, they proceeded to quiz the children.
However, seeing the officers approach him, the youth, along with the children, fled the spot.
"The children were asked (where they were headed) and it was learned that they were going for their tuition classes. In the mid-way, the kidnapper coaxed them, fed them crunchy chips and kidnapped them. Thereafter, the kidnapper brought the children to Narela Railway Station with (their) school bags, planning to take them to his native place," read an official release by Delhi Police.
The police then checked the children's notebooks and found the name of their school. They got in touch with the school's Principal, who informed them that the children were from Shehshah village in the Kundli police station area of Sonepat, Haryana.
"Accordingly, their parents were contacted and (it was) found that they were also frantically searching for their children. A case under Section 363 of IPC was registered at the Sabzi Mandi police station and an investigation was taken up," the release added.
All five rescued children, along with their parents, were produced in court and their statements were recorded under Section 164 of CrPC.
After due process, the children were handed over to their parents, the police said.
"Thereafter, a search was launched for the accused. The Technical Team of the Railway Unit, comprising ASI Ajit Singh, head constable Hari Kishan and constable Yogender, was assigned to track the kidnapper. The team, with its technical acumen, arrested him. His identity was later revealed as Setu Verma, a resident of Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, and aged 22," Delhi Police added in its release.
During interrogation, he revealed that he worked in a candle manufacturing factory in Delhi and wanted to sell the kidnapped children at his native place.
"During the course of investigation, the test identification parade of the accused, Setu Verma, was conducted by the learned court, during which the children identified the kidnapper. TIP is sufficient evidence to fix the culpability of the kidnapper," the release added.
A further investigation is underway at the abductor's native place to look for associates, if any, the police said, adding that the former has been taken on police remand for further leads.