FAISALABAD, March 24: Police claimed on Monday to have rescued a minor boy kidnapped for ransom a couple of days ago, and arrested five alleged kidnappers, including a woman.

Deputy Inspector General (operations) Mohammad Aslam Tareen told newsmen that unidentified kidnappers had kidnapped Abu Bakr from Shalimar Park on March 12 when he was going to school. The kidnappers phoned Abdul Sattar, father of Abu Bakr, and demanded Rs3 million ransom for his release. The DIG claimed police officials bargained with the criminals and struck a deal with them on March 14 against a Rs1.8 million ransom. However, the criminals after getting the ransom left the boy in a hospital and fled.

The DIG said now five kidnappers -- Kashif, Ashraf, Qaiser Nadeem, Abdul Rauf and Sakina Bibi -- had been arrested. He said a case was registered against the franchise of a cellular company for issuing mobile connection to criminals without any registration.

He said Rs700,000 had been seized from the criminals and efforts were on to arrest remaining criminal Imtiaz.