Chennai:
The Chennai Police has rescued a kidnapped British couple of Sri Lankan origin six days after they were abducted from the city. They have also arrested eight people.
Chennai Police coordinated with Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard), London, and Serious Organised Crime Agency, United Kingdom, state and central intelligence agencies and rescued the couple of Sri Lankan origin from an SUV, bound for a house at Mandarakuppam in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu last night.
The British nationals Thavaraja (59) and his wife Salaja (55), who landed at the Chennai airport from Colombo after attending a wedding there, went missing on May 29. Outside the airport, police say, abductors were waiting with a placard mentioning the couple's names, pretending to be employees from the hotel they were to check in.
Keeping them hostage at a place in Cuddalore district, abductors demanded a ransom of three lakh British pounds (Rs 2.88 crore) from the couple's daughter Darshini in London over the phone.
Chennai Police coordinated with Dharshini, as she sent them clippings of her conversation with the abductors and sought more time to raise the ransom money, as advised by the police.
"Investigation reveals, Ajanthan, an employee at the supermarket Mr Thavaraja owns in London could be the mastermind behind this and he and his friends in Tamil Nadu including a few Sri Lankans wanted to make quick money by kidnapping the couple on tour," Chennai Police Commissioner S George told reporters today.