Nepal Police Arrests Indian National for Kidnapping and Extortion
Kathmandu, March 9 - Nepal Police has apprehended an Indian national suspected of leading a gang involved in kidnapping businessmen from the border areas of India and extorting ransom from them in Nepal. The arrested individual, identified as Rajan Manjhi, hails from India and was taken into custody from Kanchanbari in Morang district.
Manjhi is accused of orchestrating a series of kidnappings and extorting large sums of money from businessmen operating along the Sitamarhi to Jogbani border region in India. His arrest, a result of a joint operation conducted by Mahottari and Morang police, marks a significant breakthrough in curbing cross-border criminal activities.
According to DSP Rajan Dahal of Morang Police, Manjhi had been running a kidnapping ring from a small hotel in Nepal, where he kept the kidnapped victims from Bihar hostage. The gang would then demand ransom from Nepali numbers, collecting the money within Nepal itself. Manjhi is allegedly involved in the abduction of two businessmen from Sitamarhi, three from Jogbani, and two from Supaul.
The arrest follows a spate of kidnapping incidents in recent months, prompting an investigation by Bihar Police, which led to the discovery of the gang's operations in Nepal. With the help of phone tracking, Nepali authorities were able to pinpoint Manjhi's location in Morang district, leading to his eventual arrest.
Manjhi has been remanded to police custody for seven days by the district court of Morang. Mahottari police have indicated that additional cases have been registered against him in local police stations, ensuring his continued detention for further questioning.