Private firm owner, kin abducted

HYDERABAD: The owner of a private firm and his close relative were abducted by unidentified persons from their office at Habsiguda in broad daylight on Wednesday even as the owner’s wife was present in the same room. Police reportedly detained one of the accused later in the evening.Police suspect financial disputes to be the cause of the abduction. Even though the entire incident was recorded on CCTV cameras installed in the office, police are unable to retrieve the footage as the cameras are password-protected.According to police, six unidentified persons barged into the office of PSR Technologies and Marketing owned by Sridhar Reddy at around 11.30 a.m. The kidnappers had come by auto-rickshaw. They initially ransacked the office, destroying office furniture. They then asked the other staff about the whereabouts of Sridhar Reddy, who at the time was inside his cabin along with his wife Swetha and uncle Narasimha Reddy.Even as Swetha was watching, the abductors entered the cabin, dragged Sridhar and Narasimha out and fled away with them. Sridhar is a resident of Scientist Colony at Nacharam and has set up the firm three months ago.In her complaint to the police, Swetha identified one of the abductors as one Kishore, who had gotten in touch with her husband over some official matter a few months ago. Based on her allegation, police traced Kishore down and took him into custody seven hours after the incident took place.Assistant commissioner of police (Malkajgiri division) PV Padmaja said that financial disputes could have led to the kidnap and added that complete details are yet to be obtained regarding the case. Police said that as many as three CCTVs fixed inside the office have recorded the entire incident. “The CCTVs are still working and contain the footage of the kidnap. But Sridhar Reddy had locked the CCTV cameras with a separate password, known only to him. We are trying our best but all our efforts so far have been in vain,” police said.Nacharam police has registered a case under section 364 IPC (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and investigation is on.