Girl playing near Karnataka Ganesh pandal kidnapped

The accused had allegedly made calls to the parents, demanding ransom money and threatening them against contacting the police.

A kidnapping attempt involving a five-year-old girl in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district was foiled on Sunday evening, thanks to the timely intervention of locals. The accused, identified as 22-year-old Darshan, an unemployed painter and alleged drug addict, planned to abduct the girl for ransom to fund his narcotics use.

The incident took place around 8 pm when the girl, daughter of local resident Santosh, went missing. After realising she was nowhere to be found, Santosh immediately began searching for her, last spotting her near a Ganesha pandal where a group of youths were sitting. As panic spread, more people joined the search.

During the commotion, Darshan, who had gagged the girl's mouth and hands with tape and hidden her in a nearby cement godown, abandoned her and fled the scene. Locals found the girl in a suffocating condition but managed to rescue her in time. She was found unharmed.

The accused had allegedly made calls to the parents, demanding ransom money and threatening them against contacting the police.

Darshan is now in the custody of the Ijoor Police, and a case has been registered against him.