Rohtak Congress leader's son kidnapped, released 3 hours later, 'political rivalry' motive

The son of Rohtak Zila Parishad member Neelam Khatri was allegedly kidnapped from Ismaila village in the district this morning. The boy was let off by the kidnappers at a dhaba near the village nearly three hours after being abducted.

Dhairya, 15, was kidnapped from the village while he was going somewhere on his motorcycle early in the morning. Some car-borne persons allegedly hit his motorcycle and forced him to sit in their

car him on gunpoint. They, however, left him at a popular dhaba a few hours later, from where he was recovered by the police.

Neelam's husband Jagbir Khatri has alleged that the kidnappers had called his wife and threatened to kill their son if she does not vote in favour of Zila Parishad chairperson Manju Hooda.

It may be pertinent to mention here that 10 of the 14 members of the Zila Parishad had sought a no-confidence motion against the chairperson, for which a meeting has been called on Wednesday.

"Two days ahead of the meeting, our son has been kidnapped to put pressure on my wife to vote for the chairperson. We have lodged a complaint with the police in this regard," said Jagbir.

On the other hand, Manju Hooda has refuted the allegation, maintaining that she had offered to help the ZP member when she came to know that her son had been kidnapped, but she was now being blamed for the

abduction, which was grossly wrong and unacceptable.

"The ZP members have been targeting me for a long time, but I have never said or done anything against them. Now they have crossed all limits and I will also take appropriate action in this regard," said Manju.

The Zila Parishad chairperson said she and her family had nothing to do with the abduction and the false and baseless allegations were being leveled to tarnish her image. Manju Hooda had contested the recent Assembly election against former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency in Rohtak district, but lost.

Manju's husband Rajesh alias Sarkari is a former gangster, though he is now into business and social service.