East Godavari: A four-year old boy named Jasith was kidnapped by an unidentified person, who assaulted his grandmother and snatched away the toddler in the cover of darkness from his home on Monday night at Mandapeta in East Godavari.

As per details provided by Ramachandrapuram DSP GV Santhosh Kumar, the boy's parents Venkata Ramana and Nagavalli are both bank employees hailing from Srikakulam. They were transferred to Mandapeta last year and were staying in a rented apartment in Vijayalakshmi Nagar. The boy was studying in UKG in a pre-school nearby and Venkata Ramana's mother Parvathamma was taking care of the child.

On Monday night after playing in the school ground nearby, the boy and his grandmother were returning home at around six in the evening. There was no power supply at that time and as they were climbing the stairs, an unidentified man came inside and asked her that was there no power in the building. When she turned around to answer him, he hit her hard on the jaw, grabbed the child, took him on his bike and fled.

Parvathamma recovered from the shock and though she was bleeding profusely she ran after him, but since it was dark she couldn't see him and was unable to run further. She immediately informed her son and they filed a complaint with Mandapeta Rural Police.

Ramachandrapuram DSP GV Santhosh Kumar said that the police were verifying as to why there was no power supply at that time or whether it was deliberately shut off. CC TV footage around the area is also being examined and locals were being questioned if any unidentified people were seen roaming suspiciously around the area.

It was reported that Venkata Ramana's bike was stolen recently confirming the suspicion that this could be the work of a someone known to them and that the kidnap was done deliberately. They are also probing the angle of personal vendetta or if Venkata Ramana had any enmities professionally.

Nagavalli, the boy's mother is nine months'' pregnant and has appealed to the kidnappers to release her son unharmed through television. So far no call for ransom was made to the father either.

Under the supervision of CI Manga Devi, Mandapeta Urban SI Rakesh Kumar and Mandapeta Rural SI Dorarajulu reached the place and started enquiring about the sequence of events. Surrounding police stations were alerted and special teams were formed to search for the boy. YSRCP State Secretary Karri Paparayadu also reached the place and reviewed the situation.

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