A BOY KIDNAPPED BY HIS OWN PARENTS

Demands a ransom of Rs 5 lakhs to release him

A boy 15 years old who was brought up under the care of Priests in a church was reported kidnapped. Such a kidnapping could happen. But the most unfortunate thing about this incident is that it was proved that the kidnapping had been very astutely manipulated by the boy’s own parents. This incident is reported from Koswatta. The boy had been handed over to the church by the parents who could not afford to educate the boy a number years back to the Koswatta “Haldanduweena St Mary’s” church. The boys name is Manoj Priyankara who had stepped out of the church to take a telephone call to a nearby Communication centre. The kidnapping had taken place last Tuesday afternoon.
When the boy never returned the Priests of the church and others had got perturbed and had gone in search of the boy. The Priests had initially tried to contact the parents. As there was no feedback the  Priests had complained to the Police. However after two days the kidnappers had contacted the Priests in the church and had told that they had kidnapped him and the boy would be released only upon receiving a ransom of Rs 5 lakhs.The caller had threatened not to inform the Police and in that event the boy would be killed.
The Priest, Rev Don Francis Larvus of the church had very confidentially informed the Police and had obtained their advice. The Police had initially had advised to tell the kidnappers that the ransom would be paid .In the meantime the Police had been able to find the location where the boy was kept with the assistance of the telephone number of the caller. The kidnappers had requested to come to a place in Marawila alone with the money. The Police planned a trap for a person to go to the location and identify the kidnappers. Through this exercise the kidnappers were able to be captured and arrested. It is reliably learnt that the kidnapping had been planned by the boy’s parents deploying two persons aged 50 and 60 years respectively. When they were produced to courts the father of the boy and 3 others were ordered to be arrested.
After kidnapping it is  reported that the boy was hidden and kept in a house in Mahawewa, Thoduwawa South area. It was revealed that the 5 lakhs ransom was needed for the boy’s father to redeem a property mortgaged by him. One kidnapper he had promised would be sent abroad for his services rendered towards the kidnapping.
When the Priest telephoned the parents of the boy they reacted as if they were completely unaware of anything. The boy had been handed over to the custody of the church as they could not afford to bare expenses for the boy’s education. When the Priest sent a third party with the ransom to get the boy released. It was done very secretly and without the knowledge of the boy’s parents.
It is very sad and unfortunate to hear about the plan the parents of the boy had made to overcome their own financial difficulties, especially as the boy was in the safe custody of the Priests in the church who looked after all his expenses including his education. Their plan to kidnap their own son and demand for a ransom has to be condemned.