Police have exposed a case of fake kidnapping and ransom demand in Kra-Dadi district of Arunachal Pradesh. Police recovered two people. Investigation revealed that the alleged victim himself created the story of kidnapping and tried to ask for money from his brother.
Kra-Grandma: Police in Kra-Dadi district of Arunachal Pradesh have revealed a case in which the entire kidnapping story was allegedly self-concocted. According to police, a ransom call was made to the family of a man after he went missing. As the investigation progressed, the case turned out to be an alleged conspiracy to gain money rather than an actual kidnapping.
This case was registered at Borghat police station in Tezpur, Assam. As per police records, case number MMR-63/2026 was reported missing by Pradeep Bhattarai. The family had said that he had gone missing from Guwahati on August 2. After this, the case took a new turn when his brother, who works in Dubai, received a ransom call.
Ransom was demanded by calling brother
According to the police, on August 14, Pradeep Bhattarai's brother received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed that Pradeep had been kidnapped and demanded to send money through UPI in exchange for his release.
Another similar call was made the next day i.e. on 15th August. After receiving two consecutive ransom calls, the family took the matter seriously and informed the police. The police started a technical investigation and tried to trace the location of the numbers linked to the phone call.
During the investigation, the police found important clues. Technical tracking revealed the location of both the calls in Palin area of Arunachal Pradesh. After this the police team started monitoring and recce of suspicious places.
Police reached Palin through technical investigation
After getting the location of the call, Palin police launched an operation in the area. Police identified possible targets and gathered information about nearby construction sites. Investigation revealed that Pradeep Bhattarai was working at a construction site.
On August 16, the police team raided the concerned construction site. Pradeep Bhattarai and Lucky Kanta Payang were recovered from here. Both were working there as construction labourers.
The recovery was significant for the police, as the man whom the family thought had been kidnapped was found safe. After this, the police started interrogating both of them and the entire story of the alleged fake kidnapping came to light.
Palin had come from Guwahati in search of work.
According to the police during interrogation, Pradeep Bhattarai told that he had reached Naharlagun by train from Guwahati after getting information about the construction work on August 8. After this he reached Palin on August 10, where he got construction work.
According to the police, Bhattarai did not tell his family that he was safely working in Arunachal Pradesh. Instead he allegedly fabricated a kidnapping story to extort money from his brother.
Police said that another person's mobile phone was used to make the ransom call.
Called brother by changing voice
According to police claims revealed in the investigation, Bhattarai called his brother using Lucky Kanta Payang's mobile phone. During the call he tried to change his voice and described himself as being in the possession of kidnappers.
The purpose of the call was allegedly to make the brother believe that Pradeep had been kidnapped and money was needed for his release. According to the police, this was a plan to get financial help from the family.
However, due to technical investigation, the police reached the location of the phone and the matter soon came to light. After recovering both of them, the police completed the further legal process of the case.
Both were handed over to Assam Police team on August 17.
According to the police, after completing the necessary legal formalities, both the persons were handed over to the team of Borghat police station on August 17. Now further investigation in the matter is being done by the concerned police team.
The investigating agencies may also try to find out for what purpose the fake kidnapping was planned and whether any other person had a role in it. Police are examining phones, call records and other technical evidence related to the case.
Police appealed to people to remain alert
After this incident, the police has appealed to the general public not to immediately trust phone calls related to any kidnapping or emergency. If a person asks for money claiming to have kidnapped a relative, it is important to confirm the information with the person concerned and the police before transferring the amount.
Police say that with the help of tools like cyber technology and mobile location, important clues can be found in the investigation of such cases. In such cases, instead of panicking, families should immediately contact the local police.
This case also exemplifies that not every ransom call is an indication of actual kidnapping. According to the police, due to timely information and technical investigation, the alleged fraud in this case could be exposed.
Need for increased vigilance in fake kidnapping cases
In cases of fake kidnapping, criminals or suspects often try to take advantage of the emotional state of the family. In such cases, sending money hastily can cause financial loss. It is therefore extremely important to independently verify any suspicious calls.
This case, which came to light in Kra-Dadi district of Arunachal Pradesh, also points towards a similar alleged conspiracy, in which an attempt was made to extract money from the family by creating a false story of kidnapping. After police action, both the persons have been recovered and investigation into the case is ongoing.