"She promised Yerne Rs 50,000 for the job": officials (Representational)
A 12-year-old boy was kidnapped by a man who was paid by the minor's aunt, with police in Maharashtra's Nagpur claiming the crime was carried out after the two were inspired by a television show.
Sarika Dinesh Bhagat, 36, hired Gangaprasad Yerne, 27, to kidnap the 12-year-old boy living in Butibori, Crime Branch Inspector Anil Jittawar said.
"She promised Yerne Rs 50,000 for the job. The two kidnapped the boy from outside his school on Wednesday. They took him to Shegaon in Buldhana district in a car where Yerne stayed with the victim, while Sarika returned to Butibori," he said.
After the boy's parents lodged a police complaint, CCTVs in the vicinity were checked and Yerne's movements over the past three days were found suspicious, the official said.
"Through Yerne, we zeroed in on Sarika who confessed after being interrogated. She was made to call Yerne asking him to release the boy. Yerne left the boy in Wardha, from where the minor boarded a bus to Butibori. He was reunited with his parents. Yerne managed to escape," Jittawar said.
The two were inspired by a crime show on television, he added.