Lakkappa also known as Ashok was released from the clutches of the kidnappers after high drama and exchange of fire in a dense forest area in the northern State, according to sources in Police.
In his forties, Lakkappa Shastry was offering astrology services at Kalikamba Jyotishyalaya at Sanegoravanahalli in Basaveshwarnagar. A resident of Laggere, off Kurubarahalli, he is married with two children.
According to the astrologer’s family, in the first week of February, Lakkappa accompanied Santosh, one of his acolytes to Madhya Pradesh for a pooja. Lakkappa’s family tried to reach him in Madhya Pradesh, but could not, and was not aware that the astrologer was kidnapped for ransom.
However, Lakkappa managed to get in touch with one of his relatives to whom he revealed the ransom demand. Lakkappa’s brother-in-law had lodged a missing complaint with the locality police.
Santosh started contacting the family and demanded Rs 50 lakh ransom for Lakkappa’s release. After bargaining hard, the amount was brought down to Rs 16 lakh.
The family sought time to raise the money and were scheduled to deliver the ransom at a designated spot on Feb 13. However, police who were contacted, thwarted the plot and rescued the astrologer.
It is learnt that Santosh and three of his associates have been arrested while one managed to escape. Police are scheduled to arrive in the City along with Lakkappa on Wednesday.
Happy reunion
The 15 girls, who were rescued by the Railway Police Force, from Bangalore railway station last week, have been reunited with their families. According to Father Pallipuram, member of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), the parents of all the girls came to the City and were given custody of the girls.
“All are happy. It was good to see that parents took the responsibility in claiming the girls. None of them showed any reluctance,” he said. He added that only four were minors.
The CWC has asked the lawyer from the garment factory (these girls were intending to work at) to present the safety measures followed by the factory in its next sitting on Friday.
Man held for duping
The City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have arrested a 34-year-old man who had reportedly duped several persons of lakhs of rupees by promising them sites. Salom Shivakumar, Marketing Director of JBJ City Developers and a resident of Banaswadi, had allegedly cheated several persons by promising them sites in residential layouts ‘developed’ by his firm.
He, however, backtracked on his promise a year later but made another promise of doubling their investments. When he failed to keep these promises, a complaint was lodged with the Indiranagar police and the case was later transferred to CCB’s Special Inquiry Squad. Rs 10 lakh cash and a number of documents pertaining to the firm have been recovered from him, the CCB said.
Woman murdered
An unidentified body of a woman was found in Vaddarakuppe forest area, in the Harohalli police station limits at Kanakapura Tuesday. The woman is said to be around 35 years old.
Police said, the woman was murdered around three days back with her head smashed. A case has been registered with the Harohalli police.