Kanniyakumari district police arrested a 32-year-old autorickshaw driver for allegedly kidnapping a three-year-old child from a North Indian itinerant vendor family, who were waiting outside Nagercoil junction railway station, on Saturday night.
Kanniyakumari district police rescued the child within four hours of receiving the complaint.
According to police, Rajan Bardi, 20, balloon seller from Bhopal, was in Kottar for the feast of St. Xavier’s Cathedral. Following that, he along with his wife and children were at Nagercoil junction railway station to board a train to Kanniyakumari. During that time, an autorickshaw driver identified as M. Yogesh Kumar, 32, from Kottar started a conversation with his wife and took their three-year-old elder daughter Sara, pretending that he would wash her hands and return her.
When the child did not return, Rajan lodged a complaint at Kottar police station.
Five special teams were formed and with CCTV footage, police tracked the suspect to Erachakulam area and rescued the child in the small hours of Sunday. The accused Yogesh tried to escape, but fell into a pit and fractured his right leg.
The police arrested him and admitted him to Kanniyakumari Government Medical College and Hospital (KKGMCH) in Asaripallam for treatment.
The child was given first aid at KKGMCH and handed over to her parents.
Police sources said that the child had no injuries and there was no signs of abuse.
Further investigations are under way.
Published – December 07, 2025 08:22 pm IST
