Palghar builder's staff member kidnapped, given electric shocks; 2 booked

Palghar: Police have registered a case against two persons for allegedly kidnapping a 19-year-old man working at a builder's office, beating him up and giving him electric shocks in Maharashtra's Palghar town, an official said.

One of the accused used to seek 'protection money' from the builder.

On Monday, the accused went to the office of the builder and demanded Rs 25,000, the official from Palghar police station said.

The builder, who was at home, refused to fulfil the demand following which the accused allegedly kidnapped a staff member of the former, he said.

When the builder later reached his office, he found the staff member crying. The victim told him that the accused person and another unidentified man allegedly kidnapped him, took him to a house where they beat him up and also gave electric shocks, the official said.

When the victim raised an alarm, some persons from the neighbourhood rushed there and rescued him. The victim then went to the builder's office, he said.

Based on a complaint by the builder, the police on Monday registered a case against the two accused under Indian Penal Code sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 342 (wrongful confinement), 364A (kidnapping a person and threatening to cause death or hurt), 386 (extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation), the official said.