Kinnigoli, Oct 12, 2012: Four unknown people tried to kidnap a Kinnigoli-based businessman at Battakodi on Oct 12, Friday.
The victim is Cyprian D’Souza, who is in the real estate and timber business. He was going back home after taking his children to school when the kidnap attempt was made.
According to Mr. D’Souza, four unknown people on a Maruthi Omni stopped his Scorpio near his house. One of them got into the Scorpio’s passenger seat and two of them got in through the rear door. One of them ordered him in Tulu to hand over his mobile phone and Mr. D’Souza told him that he had left it in his house. Another person held a gun at Mr. D’Souza’s head.
Acting on an impulse, Mr. D’Souza opened the Scorpio door, jumped out, and ran away shouting for help. His Scorpio, which was in the neutral gear, began moving backward. When they saw the local people rushing forward to help Mr. D’Souza, the kidnappers jumped out of the Scorpio and fled in their Maruthi Omni toward Mulky.
Mr. D’Souza has sustained a leg injury.
Mr. D’Souza also told the police that he could not recognize his kidnappers, who were all in the age group of 28 – 30. He had also failed to note down the number of the vehicle.
He told reporters that he had been receiving threatening calls over the Internet. He said that a man who claimed to be an associate of Ravi Poojary made a threatening call to him one year back.
Mr. D’Souza is the owner of a mill in Battakodi and a few furniture shops in Kinnigoli, Kateel, Guttakaadu, Padubidri, and Damaskatte. Since he is in the real estate business, he owns a lot of property in several places.
Mulky Circle Inspector Basheer Ahmed is in charge of the investigation.