Salem: Police opened fire and launched a massive hunt late Saturday night at a village in Namakkal district near here to nab the armed abductors of a wealthy farmer, reports reaching here said.
While sources said one of the abductors was injured in the police firing, senior officers are tight-lipped. It is said that over 100 policemen are combing the Alavayipatti village in Namakkal district for two of the four abductors while the other two have escaped in their Innova car with their captive named Sakthivel of Aappakudal village near Bhavani of Erode district.
According to sources, Sakthivel, an unmarried man owning over 40 acres of agricultural land, often indulged in gambling and undertook travelling for the purpose.
A four-member gang allegedly abducted him in an Innova car Saturday morning.
On information, the Erode police gave a chase to the car and also alerted the Salem counterparts.
Inspector Kumar of Annadanapatti police station in Salem town headed a team and gave a hot chase.
The police teams from Salem and Erode managed to corner the abductors's vehicle at Athanoor in Namakkal district but the gang attacked the police with petrol bombs and swords. While two of the gang members entered the nearby Alavayipatti village, the other two escaped in the car with their victim Sakthivel.
“A large posse of police, numbering about 100, is combing Alavayipatti. Teams of police in vehicles are in hot pursuit of the Innova”, said an eyewitness.
