ADOBE CEO'S KIDNAPPED SON ANANT RESCUED

New Delhi: After five days of anxiety and apprehensions, the police on Friday rescued Adobe CEO Naresh Gupta's kidnapped son Anant Gupta. Police sources said Anant was rescued from the Noida-Bulandsahr border.

"We have rescued Anant Gupta. Our priority in the 56-hour-long operation was to mount pressure on the kidnappers and to rescue the child safely. Anant is safe, hale and hearty and has been reunited with his mother," said Senior Superintendent of Police, UP STF, S K Bhagat.

Three-year-old Anant had been kidnapped by two motor cycle-borne youths when he was on way to his school with his maid on November 13.

He was snatched away from outside his residence in the posh Sector 15-A of Noida, a satellite township of New Delhi.

"I do not have sufficient details about the operation and will be only too glad to share them as and when I get them. As far as law and order situation in UP is concerned, I don't think it's very bad. There are culprits, but they are brought to book," UP Home Secretary R N Srivastava told CNN-IBN.

Reacting to the report of his son's release, Naresh Gupta said he is very happy that his son is finally back home. "I thank every section of administration, including UP government. Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav has been personally involved in the probe. I was up all night, closely working with the police and only went to sleep this morning. It was then that Anant returned. We were in constant touch with kidnappers and exchanged five phone calls on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They had demanded a Rs 60-lakh ransom and threatened dire consequences," he said.

Police have not yet disclosed the operational details of the rescue. But Noida SSP R K Thakur has confirmed to CNN-IBN that the three-year-old has indeed been rescued and is in the safe custody of UP police.

"I have never felt so helpless in life. Support from the police and administration helped save my son. I requested low key media coverage earlier as kidnappers would have taken undue advantage of our position. I got overwhelming support from everyone at my hour of crisis. But I am not a coward and won't change my lifestyle or flee India because of certain criminals. Life goes on. I am not bitter and still have hope in the system," Anant's father, Naresh Gupta

Later on Friday, the police are likely to disclose the details of the rescue operation and also whether any ransom was paid.

All the top officials of Delhi and UP police have reached Naresh Gupta's residence.

Police say the STF and the Noida Police had come to know about the identity of the kidnappers two days ago and it was just a matter of time before Anant was rescued.

CNN-IBN

There were rumours that Anant was kidnapped by a western UP gang and he was taken to Chambal. However, these reports haven't been confirmed yet.

Reports on Thursday said a Delhi police team was in Chambal, hunting for dreaded dacoit Jagjivan Parihar's gang.

Police sources earlier said the abductors had handed over Anant to Parihar and a ransom of Rs two crore had been demanded for his release.

Parihar, the dreaded dacoit, carries a reward of Rs 5.15 lakh on his head.

The Gupta family was said to have received ransom calls on Monday morning.

Country prayed, CM stepped in

Little Anant had captured the imagination of the country with people from all walks of life praying for his safe release.

After five long, harrowing days, Anant was finally reunited with his family.

Two days back, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav had gone on record saying that the police were on the job and Anant would be rescued soon.

There was a lot of pressure on the Uttar Pradesh police with the media camping outside Anant's house.

Labels: kidnapping