BENGALURU — Swift action by the Bengaluru Police averted a potential tragedy late Sunday night after a spa manager was abducted in a brazen street attack in the Electronic City area. The victim, identified as Ashit Jha, was rescued within hours, and three suspects have been taken into custody.
The incident unfolded as Jha and a colleague were returning home on a two-wheeler after closing their spa for the night. According to police reports, a car had been tailing them for some distance. Waiting for an opportune moment on a quieter stretch of road, the driver of the car deliberately rammed into their scooter, knocking both riders to the ground.
Before Jha or his colleague could recover from the fall, three men leaped out of the vehicle. In a scene reminiscent of a movie thriller, the assailants attacked Jha with a wooden log to subdue him. While his colleague managed to flee the scene and raise an alarm, the kidnappers overpowered Jha, dragged him into their car, and sped away into the night.
The Ransom Call The terror did not end with the abduction. Shortly after fleeing the scene, the kidnappers contacted the owner of the spa where Jha worked. They demanded an immediate ransom of ₹2 lakh, threatening dire consequences if the money was not transferred or if the police were involved.
However, the spa owner and Jha’s colleague acted quickly, alerting the Electronic City Police Station. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, senior officers formed multiple special teams to track the kidnappers.
Swift Police Operation Leveraging technical surveillance and call detail records (CDR), the police pinpointed the location of the suspects. In a coordinated operation, the teams intercepted the vehicle and arrested all three accused before the ransom could be exchanged.
“The accused thought they could intimidate the victim’s employer into paying quickly, but our teams were faster,” a senior police official stated. The motive appears to be purely financial, though police are investigating if the trio has a history of similar offenses.
All three accused have been sent to judicial custody pending further investigation. The victim, though shaken and sustaining minor injuries from the initial assault, is reportedly safe.
