Kidnap bid foiled

CHENNAI, Aug. 11: The city police foiled a plan to kidnap a businessman and his four-year old grandson. Ghani (50), engaged in prawn exports business, was kidnapped along with his grandson Rafique (4) by a group of four men, on August 9. The same night the men called up Kamal Batcha, Ghani’s friend, demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh for the latter’s release. Batcha sought more time and the men promised to call back. Meanwhile, a police patrol team attached to the Adyar police station on their routine rounds at Elliots beach found a blue Maruti van parked at the beach. When they questioned the occupants, Ghani shouted for help which alerted the police. The driver of the police van removed the keys of the Maruti van and in a struggle that ensued the police managed to catch Venkataraman, a member of the gang. Based on the information provided by him, the police team raided the hideout of the abductors and took several men into custody. However, the police are on the look out for Raja Mohammed, who is learnt to have master minded the plan.