Ahmedabad, Oct 6 — Ahmedabad Police have arrested three persons, including a 21-year-old woman and a man from Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the kidnapping of a one-month-and-seven-day-old boy from the New Ranip area.
Investigators are also probing possible human trafficking and criminal conspiracy angles.
The infant was allegedly abducted at around 3.15 a.m. on October 2 while he was sleeping with his labourer parents on a footpath near Ahwadiya Lake in New Ranip.
A case was registered at Sabarmati Police Station under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police said provisions related to human trafficking and criminal conspiracy are also being added based on findings emerging from the investigation.
Following the complaint, teams of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, along with the Sabarmati Police surveillance team and Zone-2 and Zone-3 Local Crime Branch (LCB) units, launched an intensive search for the infant and those allegedly involved.
Investigators analysed CCTV footage, used technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs, and maintained surveillance at railway stations, bus terminals and the airport to prevent the accused from leaving the city with the child.
Based on CCTV footage and intelligence inputs, police identified the alleged kidnapper as Jinal Parmar, 21, a resident of Ranip.
She was apprehended near Sabarmati Railway Station and subsequently handed over to the local police.
She was to be produced before a court.
During questioning, police learnt that two juveniles from Uttar Pradesh had allegedly assisted Jinal.
The Crime Branch traced them using photographs found on her mobile phone and apprehended them at bus and railway stations before they could leave for Uttar Pradesh.
They were later handed over to Sabarmati Police.
Police said Jinal had allegedly conducted reconnaissance in the New Ranip area and around Sola Civil Hospital before kidnapping the infant.
According to investigators, she later abducted the child from the spot where he was sleeping with his parents near Ahwadiya Lake.
Police said the woman was allegedly supposed to hand over the infant to another person.
However, after reportedly becoming apprehensive due to heightened police checks and surveillance, she allegedly abandoned the child in the New Ranip area and attempted to flee.
The infant was subsequently recovered safely.
During the investigation, police also arrested Bhaveshwar alias Bhanu Jatav, a resident of Badaun who was residing in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
According to police, he had allegedly offered Jinal Rs 6 lakh to arrange a child below one year of age on behalf of another person.
A Crime Branch team has been sent to Uttar Pradesh after investigators learnt that others allegedly involved in the wider conspiracy were based there.
Police are questioning Bhaveshwar alias Bhanu and the other accused to establish the role of the alleged main conspirator and determine whether additional persons were involved in the attempted illegal transfer of the infant.