A ransom of ₹10 crore was demanded in bitcoins.
A doctor of Hyderabad-based Kismatpur Dental Hospital, Hussain, who was kidnapped from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. was rescued by the Anantapur police near Rapthadu in the early hours of Wednesday.
The alleged motive behind the kidnap was a ransom of ₹10 crore, demanded in bitcoins as the doctor was also a real-estate dealer.
The doctor had injuries on his fingers, face and head. He was handed over to the Hyderabad police.
In all, nine persons were involved in the planned kidnapping of the doctor. A vehicle, with a Maharashtra registration number was used by them.
Rapthadu Sub-Inspector of police P.T. Anjaneyulu, along with his team, intercepted the vehicle at Marur Toll Plaza at 2 a.m. The kidnappers veered the Bolero van towards Bukkacherla village near Kanaganapalli to avoid the checking. The doctor was hidden under clothes and dumped in the rear seat of the van.
After a chase that lasted an hour, the vehicle and one of the kidnappers were located by tracking the mobile location, and the injured doctor was rescued, the Sub-Inspector told The Hindu.
Three of the four involved in the crime fled the scene. Only one of them, identified as Sanjay, was arrested. Hunt is on for the others, who fled into the fields in the dark near Bukkacherla.
According to the victim, he was kidnapped by five unknown persons who had come in burquas to his hospital. He said he was confined in a room in an undisclosed place in Hyderabad till 5 p.m. All spoke the Marathi language, he said. The doctor was handed over to four other persons, who were asked to go to Bengaluru or Shimoga in Karnataka. They began driving from Hyderabad past midnight.
Hyderabad police had alerted the District Superintendent of Police B. Satya Yesu Babu at 5 p.m. on Tuesday about the possible movement of the kidnappers on National Highway No. 44 based on their cell phone locations.
