Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Sep 12: A woman who had abducted a boy who was aimlessly loitering in Yeshwantpur railway station, Bengaluru, has been traced in the city. The boy has been rescued, while the woman in question and her husband have been booked.

The abductor, whose names is said to be Shilpa, had left the boy under the care of a contractor's family here. She reportedly concocted story of her family woes in convincing the family to take care of the boy for a few days. It is learnt that she told the family that the boy was her son.

The contractor in question has been identified as Manjunath Rai from Chanila in Balnad village. He has been undertaking works on contract basis at various spots. Shilpa, who was earlier working as a labourer for him when she was here, was the one who had kidnapped the boy. Shilpa currently stays at Banashankari, Bengaluru.

Shilpa came to Rai's residence a few days back and told him that she had a fight with her husband and therefore he had deserted her. She said she was trying to locate her husband, and requested Rai to take care of the child till she comes back. Rai agreed on humanitarian grounds and used to send the boy to nearby Anganwadi. The Anganwadi staff grew suspicious on noticing that the child was conversing in Telugu and Kannada. They brought this fact to the notice of the contractor.

Shilpa came back on September 8 to take the baby back. At that time, the Anganwadi worker along with local gram panchayat member and staff of child welfare department questioned her about the child. They also brought the child to the child care centre. As Shilpa's replies were non-coherent, the officials filed complaint in Puttur rural station under the guidance of child development project officer. During further interrogation, it became clear that the baby had been abducted.

Shilpa has confessed that she had fallen in love and married Mahesh from Kabaka, who also works at Bengaluru now. The couple was driven away from their homes and hence used to rent houses here and there. In the recent past, they were also in Puttur where they fought often in drunken stupor. The police said that Shilpa has confessed to have abducted the boy found alone in Yeshwantpur railway station. The police, who have resigned case of abduction against the couple, are now searching for Mahesh.

The seven-year-old boy has now been handed over to the child care centre at Mangaluru.