Karnataka: Kidnappers abandon abducted pediatrician with only ₹300

A 45-year-old paediatrician, Dr. Sunil, was abducted on Saturday morning in Bellary district, Karnataka, by a gang demanding a ransom of ₹6 crore. The incident occurred around 6 am when Dr. Sunil was on a morning walk in Suryanarayanapet. CCTV footage captured the moment a gang, traveling in a Tata Indigo, seized the doctor and forced him into their car.

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The kidnappers then contacted Dr. Sunil’s brother, Venugopal Gupta, president of the local liquor dealers' association, through a WhatsApp call. They demanded ₹6 crore in ransom, with half of the amount to be paid in gold. Gupta immediately alerted the police, triggering a swift operation that blocked key exit points in the district.

Despite an extensive search, the kidnappers released Dr. Sunil around 8 pm, abandoning him in a remote area. Strangely, they left him with only ₹300, barely enough for him to return home on a bus.

The unusual turn of events left both the police and the local community puzzled. Authorities are now investigating the motives behind the abduction and the reasons for releasing the doctor without the ransom being paid. The case has raised concerns over safety in the region and the methods used by the gang.