HYDERABAD: The kidnapping of a medico in broad daylight from her home in Turkayamjal, Adibatla, on Friday morning, amid a bout of violence, by a 29-year-old businessman and his gang of about 40 men ended with the Rachakonda police arresting him late at night.
The man, Kodudula Naveen Reddy, 26, founder and CEO of Mr. Tea franchise, who claimed to be in love with the medico, stormed her house with the mob, ransacked it, and assaulted her father before fleeing in an SUV.
Police said that Naveen Reddy had met the woman, Dr M. Vaishali Reddy, at a badminton academy and approached her with a marriage proposal. They were in love at first, but when her parents asked her to end the relationship she did so and stopped talking to him. The medico’s family was preparing for her engagement when Naveen Reddy vandalised her house.
The accused had set up a branch of his franchise directly opposite her house. Upon learning that her family had scheduled her engagement on Friday, he attacked her house with about 40 men. While about 20 remained outside, the rest men stormed the house, ransacked it and kidnapped her.
The accused along with the mob smashed car windows and damaged furniture. “When her father Damodar Reddy tried to intervene to save his daughter, he was attacked by the mob," said Adibatla inspector P. Narender, adding that four teams had been formed to trace and track down Naveen Reddy and his gang.
“It was chaotic and scary as the mob ransacked the place and left with the woman, leaving her father wounded and bleeding," an eyewitness said.
Meanwhile, in retaliation, Dr Vaishali's family and relatives, along with area residents, brought in a JCB and demolished the Mr. Tea branch opposite their house, while demanding action against the assailants and staging a protest.
On Friday night, just minutes before the cops arrested the accused, the family received a message from the girl stating that she was safe and asking her family not to be worried. The police stated that they had tracked down and arrested the accused, and rescued the medico.
"We took the couple and their parents to the police station to take their statements; further investigations will be conducted to get the full picture," police said.
