Meerut, Nov 4 (IANS): A Ghaziabad-based brick kiln owner, who was abducted and a ransom amount of Rs.5 crore demanded for his release, has been rescued by police from Meerut, officials said Tuesday. Three kidnappers have been arrested.

Naveen Kansal and his driver were taken along with his car from Dhaulana town of Hapur district Monday night. They were rescued within eight hours, Sardhana police officer Dhan Pal Singh said. The driver and the car are yet to be found.

Police rescued the businessman unhurt from Sardhana area of Meerut in the early hours of Tuesday.

Kansal, a resident of Kavi Nagar in Ghaziabad, was kidnapped from his work place in Dhaulana around 8 p.m. Monday.

However, Meerut Deputy Inspector General of Police Ramit Sharma rushed to the crime scene and was able to track Kansal's location through surveillance to Sardhana.

Meerut police raided the location and found the businessman in an agricultural field in Kalandi village in Sardhana.

Police arrested three kidnappers - Mohit, Ashok and Satendra - from the spot.

They confessed to the crime and said they kidnapped him under directions from a man named Rahul Khatta, who carries a reward of Rs.1.5 lakh on his head and is wanted by the police in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

"Gang leader Khatta managed to escape. Police are trying to track him down," said Superintendent of Police (Meerut Rural) M.M. Beg.