Kathmandu, February 5

Police have arrested a person for allegedly kidnapping a two-year-old child.

According to Metropolitan Police Range, Manish Kumar Gupta, 32, the prime suspect of the kidnapping-for-ransom case, was nabbed from Mahottari yesterday and brought to Kathmandu today for criminal investigation and legal action.

Police were searching for him after he kidnapped the daughter of Babita Shah, a doctor at Thapathali-based Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, from the compound of her house in Koteshwor, in the morning of January 25 before her rescue.

Cops swung into action leading to the rescue of the child from Tilganga nearly eight hours after abduction. Gupta of Dhanusha took Sandigya to Jorpati area and carried her around before he fled from the premises of Tilganga-based Hotel Ganesh, leaving the toddler behind.  Gupta had made a telephone call to the girl’s family demanding Rs 250,000 in ransom for her safe release. The grieving family had sent Rs 150,000 to Archana, Gupta’s wife, in Janakpur through wire as per his demand. Police have already arrested Archana for legal action.

During interrogation, Gupta told police that he resorted to kidnapping to get back Rs 250,000 he paid to an agent for employment in Maldives two years ago. He had allegedly paid the amount in the presence of the girl’s father.  “Whatever the reason, Gupta has committed a crime and is liable to punishment,” said SSP  Basant Lama, MPR in-charge.