IN a brazen daylight incident, an attempted abduction of Padma Shri awardee social worker Phoolbasan Bai Yadav was thwarted after traffic police intercepted a Scorpio vehicle during routine checking near Gathula outpost on the Khairagarh road, here, on Tuesday morning. Four suspects, including two women, have been detained. According to police sources, the incident occurred at around 10 am. The prime accused, identified as Khushboo Sahu, along with three accomplices, reached Yadav’s residence in the Sukuldaihan area. They allegedly lured her outside on the pretext of an urgent discussion and taking photographs. Once she stepped out without her mobile phone, the accused forcibly made her sit inside a white Scorpio vehicle and drove away. Family members said that during the journey, the accused tied her hands with a cloth (gamchha) to restrain her.

 

The vehicle was later stopped at a routine traffic checkpoint near the Gathula police outpost. On interception, Yadav managed to raise an alarm. The accused attempted to mislead the police by claiming that she was an epilepsy patient. However, a member of the traffic police team recognised her, leading to immediate intervention. She was taken out of the vehicle and brought to safety, while all four accused were taken into custody. Both the victim and the suspects were taken to the Sukuldaihan police outpost, where senior officers are conducting further interrogation. Outpost in-charge TI Bhushan Chandrakar confirmed the incident and said all the accused are residents of Bhimori village in Bemetara district. Prashant Yadav, the victim’s son, said the act appeared to be premeditated. Police are investigating the motive behind the attempted abduction.