Minor abducted from Delhi school bus rescued, 1 kidnapper dead

New Delhi: A minor boy abducted from his school bus here almost a fortnight back, was rescued from the kidnappers' hideout in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad early on Tuesday, a police officer said.

A team of Delhi Police's Crime Branch rescued five-year-old Rehan, who was kidnapped on January 25, the officer said, adding that one of the kidnappers died during the operation, while two others sustained bullet injuries.

The child was safe and was reunited with his parents, he added.

The police team with the help of technical surveillance and local intelligence, tracked down the hideout on the fifth floor of the Shalimar City Apartment in Ghaziabad where Rehan was held hostage," the officer said.

Heavy deployment of policemen was made outside the building. The Delhi Police team along with Ghaziabad police carried out the rescue operation.

"We entered in the building at around 1 a.m. The team openly challenged the kidnappers to release the child.

"A policeman was hit when the kidnappers opened fire. But there were no casualties on our side as he had a bullet-proof jacket on. The kidnappers had even threatened to kill the child," the officer said.

"In retaliatory firing by the police team one of the kidnappers was killed. Two of his accomplices received bullet injuries and have been admitted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital," he said.

Rehan was kidnapped from his school bus on the morning of January 25, from Dilshad Garden here by two bike-born assailants, who also shot the driver.

The slain abductor has been identified as Ravi, while his two injured accomplices have been identified as Pankaj and Nitin, an officer in the know of things said.