Phulbani, June 6: The Vice-chairman of Phiringia block in Odisha’s Kandhamal district and his five associates have been arrested for allegedly staging his own kidnapping to gain “public sympathy”, police said on Tuesday.
The accused Vice-chairman has been identified as Ajit Kumar Sahu.
Phulbani SDPO Suprasanna Mallik said that Sahu’s close associates- Biranchi Mallik and Basanta Mallik- on June 2 filed a complaint at Phringia police station that vice-chairman Ajit Kumar Sahu had gone missing from Jajeshpanga ghat near Phiringia suspecting some had kidnapped him.
Phiringia Police registered a case in this connection and rescued the vice-chairman from Sudra market under Baliguda police limits in the district this morning.
During questioning, the accused Sahu allegedly admitted that he had tried to fake his own kidnapping with the help of his friends to gain public sympathy.
“Sahu wanted to highlight his own kidnapping in the media to get people’s sympathy and put pressure on police administration for his quick recovery,” Phulbani SDPO said.
Sahu and his five associates were placed under arrest and three vehicles involved in the case were seized; further probe was on, he added.
