Dharwad, 13 Jan

Two Class 3 students of a government school in Kamalapur of the Dharwad district, were kidnapped during lunch on Monday but rescued the same evening near Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district.

Police have arrested the accused, who is under medical treatment. The children, a boy and a girl, were lured by a man offering sweets and taken on his motorcycle.CCTV footage from a nearby house captured the suspect riding away, aiding police identification.

Dharwad Suburban Police launched a district-wide search. They received information that a motorcycle carrying a man and two children had met with an accident near Joida, close to Dandeli. Police confirmed the children had been abducted after questioning them.

The accused, Abdul Kareem of Dharwad, was injured in the accident and admitted to a government hospital under police custody. SP Gunjan Arya said CCTV footage circulated to all stations helped rescue the children swiftly.

They were safely reunited with their parents. The Education Department noted schools are responsible for student safety, but the children had left during lunch break.