Overview

• Police located and freed Lakshmi Kumari in Benipur within 20 hours of the July 29 abduction and arrested the accused, Hizbul Rehman alias Arzoo
• The rescue followed the widespread circulation of CCTV footage showing the suspect forcefully placing the minor on his motorcycle in broad daylight
• A day before the kidnapping, Lakshmi’s father filed a harassment complaint at Alinagar police station that drew no response from local authorities
• Darbhanga SSP Jagannath Reddy formed a special investigation team led by SDPO Ashutosh Kumar to probe the suspect’s motive
• Preliminary inquiries indicate the accused and victim were acquainted and that the suspect may have targeted the family with harassment and extortion demands