SEVEN miscreants have been arrested on charges of abducting Ambalika Bus driver Ravindra Lakda and assaulted him. The action was taken jointly by Jashpur and Raigarh police. Driver Ravindra Lakda was rescued from a spot near Silki rivulet near Lailunga of Raigarh district. The accused identified as Lalit Toppo, Ajit Toppo, Thomas Pal, Jeevan Toppo, Suraj Minj, Basant Tirkey and Sukhlal Bhagat, all residents of village Bhuiyapani under Lailunga police station limits, have been charged under sections 332, 353, 186, 147 and 149 of Indian Penal Code. They have been sent on judicial remand. The Ambikapur-Jashpur bound Ambalika Travels was on its way to Jashpur Lalit and others, boarding a Scorpio, intercepted it .

 

They allegedly abducted the driver Ravindra Lakda and fled the spot. Meanwhile, the bus conductor reported the matter to Bagicha police. Subsequently, a team of police personnel was deployed to trace the accused. In the meantime, it was learnt that the Scorpio had headed towards Silki rivulet via Mahadevdand and Kansabel and driver Lakda had been held hostage at residence of Lalit. On the basis of inputs, Senior Superintendent of Police Balajirao Somwar and Bagicha SHO Saklu Ram Bhagat contacted Lailunga police and sought help. Subsequently, a joint team of Bagicha and Lailunga police reached the spot and rescued Lakda after arresting the accused.

 

The investigation reports revealed that driver Lakda was having extra-marital affairs. His wife was staying with her parents while first lover was in Lailunga and second lover was in Ambikapur. Lalit was husband of second lover and they were fed-up of Lakda who repeatedly used to visit their house. Lalit wanted to control the situation and hence he planned kidnapping. Constable Mukesh Pandey, Sudheer Mishra, Home Guard Gajanand Gupta and Lailunga SHO L P Patel were part of the action.