All Farrukhabad hostages rescued, kidnapper killed in encounter: UP Police

After hours of a tussle with the police, the UP man who had kidnapped 23 children and a few women in Farrukhabad was killed in an encounter and all the children were safely rescued from the house during early hours of Friday, UP Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi said.

The kidnapper was identified as Subhash Batham and was killed in an exchange of fire with the UP Police.

Subhash had gathered over 20 children and a few women in a house in the name of birthday celebrations and later stopped them from leaving the house. Upon receiving the information, the police was sent immediately to rescue the children. 

OP Singh, UP DGP said that the operation ran for around 8 hours. He said, "We tried to engage him constructively through talks but we got information that he had firing capability and there was possibility that he had explosives in his possession. He was threatening to carry out a blast."

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Kidnapper threatens to blow up the house

Police officials and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on the rescue operation warned the miscreant to release the children but the kidnapper retaliated and opened fire at the police. He also attacked the police forces with a hand grenade, which injured two officials. The police were alerted after Subhash threatened to blow up the entire house.

After the news broke out, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had called a meeting with high-level police officials - Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Home), DGP, ADGP Law & Order, and closely monitored the situation.

The kidnapper was reportedly serving life imprisonment on the charge of murder and was released from jail on bail. 

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