Trader jumps off car, foils kidnap

Provas Biswas

TT, Alipurduar April 10: Four men wearing army fatigues allegedly stopped a car driven by a contractor, took control of the vehicle and sped away but he managed to jump out and escape.

According to police, around 9pm yesterday, Provas Biswas, 53, was stopped by four men in army fatigues on NH31C while he was returning from Jaigaon. The quartet searched the car and asked Biswas for the vehicle's paper.

Biswas, a resident of Birpara, also runs small businesses and had gone to Jaigaon to collect payment from customers.

Biswas said the miscreants had got into the car after he crossed Torsha bridge between Madarihat and Hasimara. "One of them sat in the driver's seat and the other beside him. The rest two sat in the back seat with me in the middle. They demanded cash from me and when I refused they beat me up," he said.

"As they drove the car towards Hasimara, I suspected that the quartet are trying to abduct me for ransom. So, I jumped off the speeding car. I suffered multiple injuries. After jumping out off the car, I sought help from a lorry driver and reached Madarihat health centre in Alipurduar."

I have lodged an FIR at Madarihat police station against the unknown miscreants who fled with my car.

The spot where the incident took place is adjacent to the Jaldapara National Park.

Biswas suffered injuries to his hands and body, sources said.

The police suspect the miscreants had planned to abduct Biswas for ransom and were aware of the fact that the trader had gone to Jaigaon to collect money.

Avaru Ravindranath, the superintendent of police, Alipurduar, said: "We have started an investigation and are in search of the car. We have intensified patrolling along the highway and have provided details about the vehicle to all the police stations across the district."