Kidnapped labourer rescued in Maha, contractor arrested

A labourer allegedly held captive by a contractor for more than a fortnight over a monetary dispute was rescued by the police here in Maharashtra, an official said.

The accused contractor, Kundlik Chavan, was arrested, he said.

Namdev Jadhav (aged around 45), a resident of the neighbouring Buldhana district, was intercepted by some people on December 28 while he was going to his relative's place in Jalna and forcefully taken away in a vehicle, Chandanzira police station's inspector Balasaheb Pawar said on Tuesday.

Later, Chavan called up Jadhav's son over phone, saying that the labourer was held captive as he had taken Rs 5 lakh from the contractor to work at a sugarcane field in Kolhapur district, but did not do his job, he said.

The accused then asked the victim's son to repay Rs 5 lakh if he wanted his father released, he said.

Jadhav's son then lodged a complaint at the Chandanzira police station.

The police traced the phone call, but the accused kept on changing his