Chandigarh, March 14 – In a swift operation, Punjab Police successfully rescued a seven-year-old boy who was kidnapped for a ransom of ₹1 crore in Ludhiana’s Khanna area. The main accused was killed in a police encounter in Patiala district, while two other suspects were arrested. As per agency report, three police personnel were injured in the encounter.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when two motorcycle-borne kidnappers abducted Bhavkirat Singh while he was playing outside his home in Sihan Daud village. His grandfather, Gurjant Singh, immediately reported the abduction to the police.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Patiala Range, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, stated that multiple teams were formed to track the kidnappers and rescue the child. The suspects were first spotted in Malerkotla, leading to crucial leads in the investigation.
The operation was closely monitored by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of ₹1 crore from the victim’s family.
The breakthrough came when police tracked the main accused, Jaspreet Singh, near Mandaur village in Nabha, Patiala. When officers attempted to intercept his SUV, he opened fire on the police, injuring three personnel. In retaliation, Jaspreet was fatally wounded and later succumbed to his injuries.
During the search of the SUV, police found the kidnapped child unharmed and safely rescued him. The two arrested accomplices were identified as Harpreet Singh and Ravi Bhinder, both residents of Amargarh in Malerkotla district.
DGP Gaurav Yadav announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh for the police teams involved in the rescue operation, which included personnel from Khanna, Patiala, and Malerkotla police.
Later, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema personally escorted Bhavkirat Singh back home and reunited him with his parents in Khanna.
