32 Arrested as Mob Barges Into House, Kidnaps 24-Year-Old Dentist in Telangana

The woman, a BDS graduate, was rescued within six hours, said the police.

Screengrab from a video, which shows the alleged kidnap and vandalism.

(Photo: Screengrab/Twitter)

As many as 32 people were arrested after a mob of around 40 men allegedly barged into a house and kidnapped a 24-year-old woman at Adibatla in Telangana's Rangareddy district on 9 December. The woman was rescued within six hours, said the police.

What happened? The woman, a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) graduate who had been working as a house surgeon, was supposed to get engaged the same day. Her parents accused a person named Naveen Reddy of leading the mob and kidnapping her. Reddy had reportedly been harassing her to get married to him.

Visuals of the incident show the mob vandalising a car, dragging a man out of a house, and beating him with sticks, as a woman tries to stop them.

What did the police say? Rachakonda Police investigating the case said that it has arrested 32 people so far and has seized two vehicles used for the commission of the offence. "No one will be spared from stringent legal action," the police said. The accused have been charged under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (armed with a deadly weapon), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code.

What was the motive? Naveen Reddy and the woman were reportedly in a relationship. But as she rejected his proposal for marriage, he allegedly began harassing her on social media, after which she filed a police complaint against stalking. On the day of her engagement, Reddy, who runs a tea store, barged into her house with his workers and kidnapped her, according to NDTV. Reddy is, reportedly, still on the run.

(With inputs from NDTV.)