Paediatrician Kidnapped in Ballari, Released After Few Hours; Ransom Demanded

A paediatrician from Ballari district hospital in Karnataka, Dr. Sunil, was kidnapped on Saturday while out for a morning walk near Shaneshwara temple.

He was abducted by a gang in a Tata Indigo car, and the entire incident was captured on CCTV. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₹6 crore from Dr. Sunil's brother, Venugopal Gupta, who is the president of the district liquor dealers' association.

The police were notified, and a search operation started. A few hours later, Dr. Sunil was released at a quiet location with ₹300 to help him get home.

Authorities think he was targeted because of his brother's business standing. A special police team is working on the case and hopes to solve it soon. BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy criticized the state's law and order and demanded quick action.