Amritsar man in police net for making ransom calls to missing people’s kin

FATEHGARH SAHIB : Taking a cue from a popular TV crime show, a 26-year-old man from Amritsar made ransom calls on the phone numbers of the families of missing persons whose details were posted on Facebook with appeals for help to trace them.

Vijay Verma, who runs a footwear shop at Jandiala Guru, Amritsar, has landed in police net. He would first check with the families whether the missing person(s) had returned home. If not, he would call them later demanding ransom claiming to have kidnapped their kin, police said.

Fatehgarh Sahib senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alka Meena said Vijay recently made an attempt to get ransom from a family of a missing youth saying that he had kidnapped him. Santam Singh of Charnathal Kalan in the district approached the police on October 4 that his son Manpreet Singh went to his college but did not return home.

When the police tracked Manpreet’s mobile number, it was found that he had reached Delhi and switched off his phone thereafter. After getting no clue about Manpreet, the family shared his picture on Facebook, making a public appeal to help them trace the youth.

After seeing the Facebook post, Vijay called up the family to check whether Manpreet had returned home. After finding that the youth was still missing, Vijay made another call on October 13 demanding ₹6 lakh ransom saying Manpreet was in his captivity.

The parents informed the police who swung into action. They nabbed Vijay within 16 hours of the call, the Fatehgarh Sahib SSP said.

Vijay called the family to the Amritsar bus stand and even became clean shaven to avoid being recognised.

The SSP further said Vijay had made similar bids twice in the past, but failed, as the missing persons in both cases had reached home by then.

HE WOULD CHECK WITH THE FAMILIES IF THE MISSING PERSON HAD RETURNED HOME. IF NOT, HE WOULD CALL THEM LATER ASKING FOR RANSOM CLAIMING TO HAVE KIDNAPPED THEIR KIN