Police rescue abducted child who was made to beg for living in Kanchipuram

Police tracked down a boy less than three-years-old who had allegedly been kidnapped from his parents more than two months ago and arrested a woman in connection with the crime.

Two-and-half year-old Bharani was reported kidnapped on February 16 on a complaint from his parents in Chettiarpettai village in the district, DSP Rajendran said.

A woman named Shakila Banu had moved to the area a while ago and had become popular among the neighbourhood, police said. Banu on Feb 16 told Bharani's parents, both construction workers, that she was taking the child to buy sweets for him but never returned, he said.

A special team managed to trace Banu to Tiruppur, where they found the child had been made to beg for a living, Rajendran said.

Banu was arrested yesterday and booked under section 363(a) (Kidnapping or maiming a minor for purposes of begging). Bharani was restored to his parents.