A Samajwadi Party leader found a unique way of avenging his son's kidnapping -- by abducting the parents of the dacoit responsible for it as 'security'.
According to Hindi daily Patrika, SP leader Santu Singh's son Vijay was kidnapped by wanted dacoit Babli Kol from Tikuaria station on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Singh and his party were returning to Chitrakoot in UP after attending an event in Satna in MP when the incident took place. At a railway crossing, their SUV had to stop, since the gate was down. When Vijay got out of the car, four gunmen nabbed him and whisked him away. A ransom demand for ₹50 lakh followed in the morning.
In response, Singh allegedly abducted Kol's parents and negotiations between the two parties are on. Patrika also reported that the SP leader has given the dacoit 24 hours to release his son, assuring him that his parents would be returned unhurt once Vijay was sent home. According to a report in Times of India, Singh claims that he has spoken to his son and can confirm that he is unhurt and in good health.
While Singh obviously denied the allegations, TOI quoted him as saying, "I have given 24 hours to everyone — the dacoit, administration and police."
The police, meanwhile, is resolutely denying the kidnapping of the dacoit's family by the SP leader. Satya Sabat, Additional Director General (ADG) of Allahabad zone, told TOI, "We have not been able to verify reports of the abduction the victim's family supposedly did. No direct kin of the bandit lives in UP." He also said they were treating the kidnapping case as a priority and doing everything they can to get Vijay back safely.
PG Yadav, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Karwi, said, "It (the abduction of the dacoit's parents) is a rumour. We are handling the youth's abduction tactfully and are hopeful that he will be freed by Monday morning," reported TOI.
Male Child Abuse Survivors
Praveen Minj(01 of05)
Open Image Modal"I never really understood it then, but now when I look back at my life I understand how much I really suffered. Sadly, more than the abuse, it was the how the trauma of it changed me as a person.
As a male child I was always expected to be strong. My mother’s suffering in her life, forced me to hide my own pain and take the onus of healing, upon myself. Eventually, this kept on adding to my baggage of constant self-victimizing , self criticism, self-doubt, and self-disbelief." (credit:Photographer Deepti Asthana/Courtesy The Hands of Hope Foundation)
Abhhydday Paathak(02 of05)
Open Image Modal"Sometimes the very wounds that cripple us hold the key to our healing. So here I am, breaking the silence.
In the attic of my childhood, I lost the child within me. I was 5 when my fairy tale turned into a nightmare. Like the caged, mute animals, digging canals to escape the predator, I too found myself, dodging the predator who terrorized my body and soul almost every day. Ironically, he was an officer charged with the responsibility to safeguard me. I know rationally that none of it was my fault. But, the threats then didn’t allow me to see otherwise." (credit:Photographer Deepti Asthana/Courtesy The Hands of Hope Foundation)
Mohammed Ali(03 of05)
Open Image ModalAli was 9 years old when he was first sexually abused at a railway station in Mumbai. His abusers were not one but many--older boys, cops, drug addicts, whoever got hold of him. (credit:Photographer Deepti Asthana/Courtesy The Hands of Hope Foundation)
Rajeev Pandey(04 of05)
Open Image Modal"I was taken to a dark empty room in the huge family house. He told me the medicine he had would only work if I kept it a secret. He then pulled down my pants, and abused me. It hurt me no end, but I bravely bore it. After all, I was on my way to becoming like my father.
The abuse continued. So did the pain." (credit:Photographer Deepti Asthana/Courtesy The Hands of Hope Foundation)
Roshan Kokane(05 of05)
Open Image Modal"I was 10-years-old when I was sexually abused for the first time. I was napping in the noon on my bed after a tiring day at school and suddenly opened my eyes to the sensation of someone trying to physically hurt me. I was scared, shocked and I didn’t move a bit. Fear and confusion gripped me that afternoon.
The abuser was unfortunately someone from my family. Every time I was alone, they would touch me in the most inappropriate ways and force me to do the same with them. They would do it as frequent as one or twice a week." (credit:Photographer Deepti Asthana/Courtesy The Hands of Hope Foundation)