Lucknow: A sand and gravel trader was allegedly abducted in Gonda district by a group of men who posed as sleuths of the Special Task Force and extorted Rs 2 lakh from him after holding him hostage for nearly 24 hours. The incident came to light on Friday. Ankit Kumar Yadav, a resident of Pahli village under the Nawabganj area, was allegedly kidnapped on Tuesday by men travelling in a black SUV. The accused threatened him at gunpoint and initially demanded Rs 5 lakh as ransom before settling for Rs 2 lakh. According to a complaint filed by Yadav’s wife, Sushila Devi, the black SUV stopped outside their house around noon on Tuesday. One of the occupants called Yadav and asked him to accompany them to Katra Shivdayalganj. Yadav initially told them he would reach on his motorcycle instead. However, when he reached near a crossroads in Akbarpur village, the accused allegedly intercepted and bundled him into the SUV. In a video later shared on social media, Yadav said that a friend first called him on March 3, claiming he wanted to buy an SUV and invited him to a gathering. Since he was preparing to travel to Ayodhya, he initially declined the invitation. After repeated calls, he agreed to meet and set out on his motorcycle. As soon as he reached the meeting point, the accused forced him into their vehicle and drove towards Parasrampur. During the journey, two more men joined them near a petrol pump. Yadav alleged that all the accused claimed to be STF sleuths and threatened him with firearms. They demanded Rs 5 lakh and warned him of dire consequences if he refused. Shortly afterwards, two more accomplices joined the group. Fearing for his life, Yadav contacted an acquaintance and arranged Rs 2 lakh, which was handed over to the accused. Despite receiving the money, the kidnappers allegedly kept him captive inside the vehicle and drove him around for nearly 24 hours. He was eventually released near Maskanwa Gaushala, after which the accused fled the spot. Police later questioned Yadav, conducted his medical examination and handed him over to his family. Gonda’s additional superintendent of police (West) Radheshyam Rai said that an FIR has been registered against five accused based on a complaint by the victim’s wife.
