Police spreads dragnet for gang

Police are on the look out for an eight-member gang, allegedly involved in kidnapping persons for ransom, following the arrest of a member, involved in the abduction of a city businessman a couple of days ago.
The business man, 63-year old Eswaran, a lorry spare sparts merchant, who wanted to buy some land, fell into the trap allegedly laid by a Tirupur-based broker, police said.
Easwaran, along with his two friends, went in a car with the broker to Chattirapatti near Palani in Dindigul District to see the land. However, the broker took them to a house, where the eight-member gang threatened Easwaran to part with the money he brought to buy the land.

As Easwaran refused, some gang members assaulted his two friends, after which Easwaran handed over Rs five lakh kept in the car, police said.
The gang then asked Easwaran to call his house and ask the family members to bring more money for his and friends' release. Easwaran called his son and asked him to bring Rs 10 lakh.
On information given by his son, the city police, followed him in a car, which stopped near Chattirapatti, as directed by the gang. When a man approached and attempted to snatch the bag containing the cash, the police team nabbed him. He was dentified as Kannan of that village, police said.

On information given by him, police rescued Eswaran and his friends last night, they said.
Search was on for the other gang members, police added.