A 21-year-old youth was arrested in the district for allegedly killing a woman and kidnapping her son, police said.
The accused, Suresh Kumavat, entered the Hanuman Nagar residence of Gatkidevi Devasi, 25, and killed her by strangulation and slitting her throat. He then kidnapped her 2-year-old son Prakash, district Superintendent of Police Sharada Raut said.
Later, he called up the deceased’s husband at his workplace in Mumbai and demanded Rs. 1.5 lakh ransom, threatening to kill his son if he did not give the amount.
When the man reached home, he found that his wife was dead and their son was missing, following which he filed a complaint with the Nallasopara police, she said.
The police hatched a plan and formed different teams to nab the accused. As per his specific demand, the complainant brought the money and placed it near a bus on a pitch dark road in Dahisar (east).
Within 15-20 minutes, a man came to collect the bag containing the money and the police, lying in wait, led by Inspector Ravindra Badgujar, arrested him. The boy was also rescued, she said.
The accused was known to the complainant and had visited his house a few times in connection with business and was cousin of one of his friends, she further said.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the SP said, adding further investigation is on.
