Nagpur: In a shocking incident on Wardha Road, a five-year-old girl was kidnapped by a notorious criminal who demanded a ransom of ₹20,000 and threatened to slit her throat with a cutter if the police were informed. However, the Nagpur police acted swiftly and managed to rescue the girl within just 45 minutes, arresting the accused in the process.
The accused has been identified as Surya alias Milind Baghel (29), a resident of Butibori. A habitual offender, he also has a murder case registered against him at Hingna Police Station. The kidnapped child’s mother was known to the accused. According to the police, Baghel is addicted to several substances and committed the crime to obtain money to support his addictions.
The incident occurred around 4 PM on Sunday, when the woman, along with her daughter and son, was waiting for a bus near Trupti Hotel on Wardha Road. Baghel arrived at the location in a private auto-rickshaw, forcibly grabbed the girl, and fled. He later called the mother, demanding ₹20,000 and threatened to kill the child if the police were contacted or the ransom was not paid.
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20 May 2025
Panicked, the mother informed Beltarodi Police Station at around 4:15 PM. Senior Police Inspector Mukund Kawade immediately reached the spot and dispatched three teams along Wardha Road to track the suspect. One of the officers, pretending to be a relative, contacted Baghel and offered to pay ₹10,000. Baghel agreed to meet near Dongargaon, but sensing danger, he switched off his mobile phone. Police traced his phone location to the Butibori area.
As the search teams combed the area, officers spotted a man walking along a service road with a girl wearing a blue frock—matching the description of the kidnapped child. When questioned, the man gave a false name. However, after brief interrogation and pressure from the officers, he confessed to the crime.
The girl was safely reunited with her mother, and Baghel was arrested on the spot. The entire operation, from the time of the report to the rescue, took only 45 minutes.
The operation was carried out under the leadership of Senior Inspector Mukund Kawade, with the support of officers Shrikant Gorde, Narayan Ghodke, Manoj Gabne, Vivek Shripad, Sachin Devhare, Atul Mane, and Ankush Chaudhary.
Police Alert and Discretion Helped Prevent Tragedy
Given the history of child abduction and murder cases in Nagpur, the police acted with high alert and caution. The mother informed police that her daughter had difficulty speaking and that the accused had previously been involved in serious crimes, including murder and attempted murder. Inspector Kawade instructed all officers to operate in plain clothes to avoid raising suspicion.
The police avoided direct communication with the suspect and used the mother’s phone to contact him once. Had the accused sensed police involvement, he may have harmed the child. The tactful and timely intervention of the police was crucial in ensuring the child’s safety.
