Kerala child abduction case: Couple, daughter held
Kollam (Kerala) (PTI): A businessman, his wife, and their YouTuber daughter were arrested by the Kerala Police here on Saturday for allegedly kidnapping a six-year-old girl earlier this week, demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh.
The child was later abandoned on a public ground in Kollam after the incident gained widespread attention.
Police said the accused Padmakumar, an engineering graduate, his homemaker wife Anitha Kumari, and their daughter Anupama Padman, who boasts a substantial following on YouTube, were taken into custody based on a combination of scientific, digital, and circumstantial evidence.
ADGP M R Ajithkumar said that information provided by civilians, who recognised the voice of one of the accused during ransom negotiations, played a crucial role in their apprehension.
The kidnapping, which unfolded earlier this week, captured public attention when the perpetrators abandoned the minor girl on a public ground in this southern district.
The police, aided by a portrait of Padmakumar drawn with input from the kidnapped girl, successfully tracked down the accused.
The motive behind the abduction was allegedly the family's pressing financial issues.
"The abduction was a meticulously planned one. The accused had been planning the crime for the last one year and was looking for a suitable child to kidnap," Ajithkumar told reporters outside Pooyappally Police station where the case was registered.
Padmakumar was engaged in several businesses, including the operation of a local cable TV network, but is said to be suffering from an acute financial crisis post Covid.
"As per his statement, he had debt to the tune of over Rs five crore. He had an immediate need of Rs 10 lakh which prompted the family to carry out the crime," the official said.
Police suspected that Anitha Kumari was the brain behind the abduction.
The ADGP also said the accused had tried to abduct the child two times before but didn't succeed as she was accompanied by her mother and grandmother on the occasions.
Though 20-year-old Anupama had good earnings through social media, it suddenly stopped some time back due to technical reasons, which also prompted the family to think about some other easy way to earn money, the officer added.
He lauded the special police team under DIG Nishanthini who probed the case and nabbed culprits in a short span of time.
The six-year-old girl, who was kidnapped while going home from tuition with her elder brother, was found abandoned at a public ground here the next day.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Palakkad confirmed that the investigation had achieved significant progress.
"The main accused are in police custody. Police will divulge further details," Vijayan told a press conference here.
He lavished praise on the police force for apprehending the accused.
A remarkable investigation was carried out by the police in the case which helped take the accused into custody within a short span of time, he added.
A sincere and dedicated probe carried out by the police helped to nab the real accused in a short time, the CM said.
Vijayan also slammed the opposition Congress for criticising the police with regard to the investigation of the incident.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
