Pune: In a significant breakthrough, the Pune police on Saturday successfully rescued a city-based priest and his seven students who were held captive by an extortion racket in Karnataka. During the inter-state operation, three suspects were apprehended in connection with the crime.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Ramu Apparay Balun (29), Datta Shivaji Kare (20), and Harshad Suresh Patil (22), all residents of Sangli district in Maharashtra.

According to a police press release, the accused initially contacted the priest through Instagram on September 29, 2024, inviting him and his group to perform rituals at a house in Karnataka’s Bijapur. Upon reaching Karnataka, the group was abducted, and the kidnappers contacted the priest's family to demand a ransom.

The father of the kidnapped priest filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Bibwewadi police station in Pune, prompting the police to launch a detailed investigation. The victims were eventually traced to Sindhanur in Karnataka.

“With the assistance of local police, we first rescued the priest and three of his students from a room at a secluded spot in Sindhanur. Subsequently, we freed four more students from another location. We also apprehended three suspects and seized sharp weapons used by them during the crime,” said Senior Police Inspector Mangal Modhve.

The Pune police further revealed that the accused had not only robbed the victims of their valuables but also subjected them to physical torture. The involvement of local residents in Karnataka was instrumental in apprehending the kidnappers.

Inspector Modhve added, “The case was solved within a couple of days after being reported to us. The accused have a history of criminal activities and have been involved in similar crimes in the past. They learned about the priest through Instagram and devised a plan to abduct him and his pupils for ransom. We have safely rescued all the victims, and further investigation is ongoing.”