Kalaburagi, Jan 6 (IANS) Karnataka Police cracked the kidnapping case of a schoolboy and arrested two persons in Kalaburagi on Friday.

The accused kidnapped the boy, a Class 4 student, on January 4 and demanded Rs 10 lakh from the parents.

The arrested persons have been identified as Arun Bhajanthri and Lakshmana Bhajanthri, residents of Santrasawadi locality in the city. The police conducted an operation in the early hours and rescued the boy, Sudarshan.

Screengrab from CCTV footage

Sudarshan, son of Gurunath Rathod, a resident of Siddeshwara Colony and a teacher, was kidnapped by the accused persons when he was going to school. The boy had come out of his house and was waiting for the school bus.

The incident created tension and raised concerns among the parents who have school going children.

The accused, who came in an auto-rickshaw, on the pretext of asking for the address of a hospital engaged the boy into conversation and kidnapped him.

The accused later called his father and demanded for Rs 10 lakh and threatened that his son would be killed if he refused. The father lodged a complaint with the Vishwavidyalaya police station.

When the police launched the operation, the kidnappers left the boy in an isolated place in the outskirts of the city. After noticing the boy in school uniform at odd hours, the locals informed the police. The police rescued the boy and also nabbed the kidnappers.