Kathmandu, January 15:

The Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) recently busted a well-organised racket indulging in kidnapping with the arrest of three persons. They were allegedly involved in kidnapping four persons, of which three were freed on ransom, while was let off for nothing, police said today.

Those arrested are: Bhimsen Pandit, 28, Rohit Paliwan Agrawal, 27 and Sanjay Shrestha, 32. “Bhimsen was the chieftain, Bhimsen the manager and Shrestha was a driver and ransom collector,” SSP Upendra Kanta Aryal said at a press conference organised at the MPCD today.

Police said the arrest was made with the help of Omkar Bhattachan, who was kidnapped on December 24. The armed gang kidnapped Bhattachan from Ganeshbasti, Kathmandu, on December 24. “Though the kidnappers contacted Bhattachan’s family and sought a ransom of Rs 2 million, they later released him for nothing,” Aryal said.

Police said the organised group of alleged kidnappers had hired three houses at Bansbari, Narayanthan and Baluwatar for carrying out their plans. Police seized four vehicles, four pistols and 36 bullets from them.

The group abducted Ganesh Bihari, who runs Kawari factory, in March from Balkhu, police said. They kept Bihari in their custody for four days and freed him on a ransom of Rs 1.2 million. The group also abducted Rajendra Sharma from Baluwatar and freed him after receiving Rs 800,000 in February.

The alleged abductors also kidnapped Binod Sharma Neupaney from Dhumbarahi on December 17. Five days later they released him upon receiving Rs 760,000. Police accused the group of opening fire at Sachin Gupta who managed to escape from Naxal on October 3.

Aryal said, “Bhimsen and Rohit met and were involved in stealing vehicles,” adding, “Later, Sanjay joined them and the three had been involved in kidnapping.”