Man kidnapped 2 kids to ‘seed-fund’ startup: Cops | Lucknow News
Lucknow: A 22-year-old man’s hunt for “seed money” to launch his dream startup ended not with investment, but with a police case.The recent kidnapping of two children from Alambagh exposed how youthful ambition for a business venture spiralled into a desperate criminal act. The accused, Vijay Sharma, informed investigators that he wanted to set up a small footwear factory but did not have funds to get started. Frustrated by repeated dead ends, he allegedly plotted to kidnap two children from his locality and extort ransom as a shortcut to raise capital. Police said the accused might not have acted alone and are probing the role of a friend who could have helped him track the children’s movements. “The accused confessed that he wanted to start a small-scale footwear manufacturing unit but lacked the seed money to get his business off the ground. Desperate for quick funds, he devised a plan to kidnap children and demand ransom,” he said. “The motive was uncommon. It was about raising money to launch a business, which shows how twisted desperation can become,” a police officer said. “He got the idea from watching multiple movies but could not make a solid plan for escape. He borrowed a truck driver’s phone on the way, put another SIM card in it, and sent the ransom message on WhatsApp. This mistake helped police track him quickly,” he added. The kidnapped boys, aged 12 and 8, were rescued safely from Lakhimpur within 10 hours on Saturday. Their families are still shaken. The father of one of the boys is a mechanic, which that of the other is an auto driver. They said they never imagined someone living nearby could be watching their children like this. DCP, central, Ashish Srivastava said the case was being investigated. “We have arrested Vijay but the role of his friend and others is being checked,” he said.
