Army Jawan Abducted in Sikar, Recovered Safely From Karauli After Ransom Call
An Indian Army soldier on leave in Rajasthan’s Sikar district was abducted on Monday night while returning home from coaching, prompting a police search that ended with his recovery unharmed from neighbouring Karauli district on Tuesday evening, officials said.
The soldier, identified as Shriram Sihag, 32, is a resident of Kerpura village in the Khandela police station area. He joined the Army in 2013 and is currently posted in Punjab. According to police, he had been on leave for the past three to four months as he prepared for the Sub-Inspector recruitment examination and regularly travelled to Khandela for coaching.
The abduction took place around 8 p.m. on Monday near the Kerpura bus stand. Police said Sihag was returning on his motorcycle from Ranoli when five to six unidentified men in a car intercepted him, forced him off the bike and drove away with him. His motorcycle and helmet were later found abandoned at the spot.
Local residents alerted the family, which approached the police around 10 p.m. Sher Singh, Sihag’s brother, filed a complaint at the Khandela police station. A little later, at about 11:46 p.m., Sihag’s wife received a call from his mobile phone. The caller allegedly said the soldier was safe and demanded Rs 10 lakh. “Shriram is safe with us. We will send the bank details. Transfer Rs 10 lakh to that account,” the caller allegedly told her before ending the call.
Khandela Station House Officer Surendra Devgada said police examined the scene soon after the report was filed and set up checkpoints across the district. Investigators also questioned the family about any possible motive behind the abduction. During questioning, Sihag’s wife told police about a financial dispute with a fellow soldier from Karauli district during an earlier posting, which led investigators to send a team to Karauli.
Acting on that lead, police traced Sihag to Sapotra in Karauli district on Tuesday evening and brought him back to Khandela. His family said they were relieved after learning he had been found safe. Officials said the full sequence of events would become clear only after Sihag records his statement.
Police have not confirmed any arrests so far. The investigation is continuing, with teams examining the alleged monetary dispute and trying to identify the men who intercepted the soldier. Multiple police teams searched through Monday night after the family reported the abduction, and the recovery came after the Karauli lead provided by relatives.
