Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Apr 1: Four unknown persons, who hired a car from Mangaluru, tied up, gagged and abandoned the driver of the car in desolate forest, before fleeing with the car. The incident happened on Saturday March 31.

Prakash from Puttur was waiting for customers with his car near Saibeen Complex, Lalbagh, Mangaluru on Friday night when four unknown persons approached him and asked to be dropped at Padubidri. On the way, the hirers attacked Prakash, gagged him, bound his limbs, and dumped him in a forest area in Santholli forest near Bachchappu, Hebri. They escaped with the car and three cellphones belonging to Prakash.

Prakash struggled in this condition the whole Friday night before being spotted by some villagers going to milk diary on Saturday morning. Ganapati from Senior Citizens Forum, Mudradi, called the police and informed about the incident. In the meantime, the youth who was freed from the ropes, somehow crawled his way near the road, but motor bike riders ignored him, perhaps out of suspicion about his condition.

The youth, who was not even able to stand or walk, was provided first aid by the police in a hospital. They called his relatives of Prakash over phone and sent him to Mangaluru with them. A complaint about the incident was filed in Barke police station, Mangaluru. The police are trying to find out the identities of the culprits involved.