16-month-old child abducted at Tirumala

Tirupati: In a shocking incident a 16-month-old-child of a pilgrim family from Maharashtra was abducted in Tirumala on Friday morning. Prasanth Ji Jadav from Ausa town in Lathur district of Maharashtra who came on a pilgrimage with his wife and son Veeresh reached the hills on foot through the footpath.

The couple, tired after climbing of the serpentine footpath for hours along with their child after reaching Tirumala around midnight, stayed in the Mandapam opposite Madhavam pilgrim complex on the footpath ending point for the night.

They were shocked on not finding Veeresh, who was sleeping with them, when they woke up on Friday morning. After a frantic search in the surrounding areas in vain, the couple complained to Tirumala police who registered a case and launched a search to trace out the missing boy.

Tirumala police also alerted Tirupati police who too conducted searches in various places in the city including railway station, bus stand and other areas but the missing child was yet to be traced when reports last came in the evening.

Police believe that the child was abducted by a lone miscreant between 6 am and 7.30 am in the morning.The abduction of the child from an area where pilgrim movement is constant and despite the constant vigil of the TTD security and police, created flutter. Police, based on the CCTV footage, suspect the involvement of a 40-year-old man in the abduction of the child.

The suspect wearing a white sweater and red colour monkey cap was found moving suspicious near the Mandapam where the Maharashtra pilgrim family with their son stayed for the night.

Tirumala police also issued an alert notice seeking the public help them in finding the boy and requested them to pass on any clue they get on the kidnapper or the kidnapped child to WhatsPpp number 8099999977 or the police officials including SI of Police II Town PS, Tirumala, Inspector of Police Tirumala or DySP, Tirumala.