Bangalore: Four kidnapping cases in the space of  three months including the one where the police fired at two abductors and rescued a boy.. Is there a pattern, is there a gang operating.

Is there  need to fear? The Police say no. A senior official said that there was only a  marginal increase in such kidnappings YOY and said there was no need to panic.

The City Crime Records Bureau statistics reveal that while 19 such cases were recorded in 2012 and 20 in 2013, there have already been 14 kidnapping cases in the city till July this year.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Hemanth Nimbalkar said that while a few high-profile cases were reported in the past few months, there was no organised crime behind such abductions. All 14 cases were cracked and none were repeat offenders, he said. Mr. Nimbalkar said that in most of the 14 cases, the abductors were known to the victim or the family and the cause was personal revenge. Even in the recent case, where the police shot at two abductors and rescued a boy, the accused was known to the father.

Mr. Nimbalkar said that except in one case where a six-year-old girl was killed by her uncle and aunt after kidnapping her, all victims were rescued. He added that no ransom was paid in any of the cases.

A senior police official also blamed movies and media for such crimes. He said “they glorify such crimes and criminals and these people often well off,  are misguided by the notion that they can get away with such crimes and make some quick money. However they do get caught,” he added