UP: Block chief, his family, missing for four months, recovered from Samajwadi Party MLA’s residence

The Uttar Pradesh police last night carried out a raid at Samajwadi Party’s Basti district president and party’s MLA from Basti Sadar Mahendra Nath Yadav’s residence after a complaint was lodged against him accusing him of kidnapping a person named Ramkumar and his family. Ramkumar happens to be the block chief of Bahadurpur in Uttar Pradesh. The police found Ramkumar and his family at the residence of the SP MLA and secured their release. According to reports, the MLA was present at his house at the time of the police raid.

According to media reports, SP MLA Mahendra Nath Yadav had allegedly taken Ramkumar and his family hostage in October last year and since then, they were missing. A case of kidnapping was registered in the Kalwari police station yesterday based on a complaint by Ramkumar’s relative Om Prakash.

Basti SP Ashish Shrivastav today released a video statement saying that the police has provided security to the victim’s family.

“Last evening (18th March), Om Prakash, son of Mithai Lal, came to Kalwari Police Station and informed that his brother-in-law (jija) Ramkumar, who is the block chief of Bahadurpur, was taken hostage by Samajwadi Party district president and MLA Mahendra Nath Yadav on October 23, 2021. Ramkumar had informed Om Prakash on the night of March 17 that he is being held hostage by Mahendra Nath Yadav at the latter’s residence and was not being allowed to leave. After the complaint by Om Prakash, an FIR was lodged and the audio provided by him was investigated. When the police reached the spot, Ramkumar was found there (at MLA’s house) and was handed over to his family. We will do a further investigation after recording the statement of the accused and the victim. The victim has been given police security,” said Basti SP Ashish Shrivastava.

However, the police are yet to arrest anyone in the case.