Vijayan also urged the public
not to spread false information about the incident and assured that the police
are actively searching for the girl. The kidnappers, as heard in the audio
recordings of the ransom call, claimed that the girl was safe and unharmed, and
they would return her on Wednesday morning upon receiving a payment of Rs 10
lakh.
Additionally, the kidnappers
warned the parents against involving the police. Prior to this, the parents had
received a ransom call demanding Rs 5 lakh a few hours after the kidnapping.
The student in question is a
second-grade student at Siddhartha Central School in Kottarakkara. She is the
daughter of Reji John and Siji John. The police have reported that both
parents, who are nurses, were not present at home when the incident occurred.
According to the girl's
brother, a white sedan intercepted them at Kattady Junction, and Abigel was
forcibly taken into the car. The brother was pushed to the ground while Abigel
was abducted, and the assailants quickly fled the scene. It is suspected that
there were four individuals, including a woman, inside the car.
Local residents have informed
the authorities that they had noticed a white sedan frequently passing by their
house in the days leading up to the incident. Additionally, Abigel's brother
sustained injuries to his leg as a result of being dragged by the assailants.
Abigel's father shared these details with TNIE, stating that his son was also
assaulted by the perpetrators.
As the victim's house was
swarmed by a television crew, relatives, neighbors, and police, a sudden twist
in the situation occurred when the girl's mother received a call on her mobile
phone. Initially, everyone thought it was good news that the child had been
found, but their happiness was short-lived as it turned out to be a ransom call
from the kidnappers, demanding Rs 5 lakh for the safe return of the girl. The
police have intensified their search for the girl, checking vehicles on all major
and minor roads in the southern districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and
Thiruvananthapuram.
The kidnappers,
believed to be four in number, including a woman, used a white car to abduct
the girl. The Pooyappally police have launched an investigation
based on the parents’ complaint. CCTV footage from the location is being
examined, and police are collecting additional information from local
residents. Pooyappally sub-inspector Anil Kumar said, “Currently, we are
examining the CCTV visuals from the location. Based on the initial investigation,
the abductors came in a white sedan. However, we have to probe further to get a
clear picture of the incident. Moreover, the number of cars is not clear. We
have initiated a detailed investigation,’’ he said.
The police are analyzing phone records and carrying out
searches for more details on the ransom call. Additionally, vehicle checks have
been intensified at district borders, including Kollam, Idukki, Kottayam,
Pathanamthitta, and Thiruvananthapuram, as part of efforts to locate the car.
Vehicle inspections along the highways and checks at bus stands and railway
stations continued late at night. The police have opened a special control room
at the state police headquarters in connection with the case.
