Udupi: Kidnapped lorry driver found; abductors still at large

Udupi: Whereabouts of the lorry driver missing in the Malpe abduction case have been traced.

Reports said that the abducted driver, Suleiman from Koppa, was found in Thiruvananthapuram and police have brought him back to the city. The abductors, however, managed to escape.

On October 1, Suleiman who had been to Malpe for duty went missing. A day later, his younger brother Shamshuddin received a call from his brother’s cell phone saying that his brother had been kidnapped and demanded Rs 15 lakh in ransom for his release.

Shamshuddin had claimed that the caller identified himself as Sameer and had said that he, along with Hanas and his brothers, from Kerala have abducted Suleiman.

A case had been registered at the Manipal police station.

A dispute about business payments is believed to be the reason for the abduction. Sources said, in addition to working as a truck driver, Suleiman also bought fish at auctions in Malpe and sold the same for a profit in Kerala.