Nagpur: An 11-year-old budding cricketer made a daring escape recently after an autorickshaw driver and his aide allegedly tried to abduct him at knifepoint while he was on his way to his academy.The boy jumped from the moving vehicle and ran to his academy, where he alerted his coaches. Police are now trying to trace the accused duo. “Shrot showed remarkable presence of mind, overcoming his fear and escaping from the abductors,” a police officer said.Police said Shrot took an autorickshaw to his academy, attached to an engineering college, as usual on Sept 5. However, the driver deviated from the usual route and headed elsewhere. The second accused, who was travelling in the auto, then allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened Shrot.Sensing danger, Shrot shouted for help. A passer-by also raised an alarm, distracting the accused. Seizing the opportunity, the boy leapt from the moving rickshaw and sprinted towards his cricket academy, where he narrated the incident to his coaches.Coach Venkatesh Nulgondawar immediately informed police, who reached the spot and recorded the boy’s statement. Investigators are examining CCTV footage along Hingna Road, besides questioning regular auto drivers who ply the same route.The incident has rattled parents who send their children for after-school coaching in the industrial and residential pockets of Hingna and MIDC.Police have advised parents to note auto-rickshaw numbers, prefer known drivers and teach children to raise an immediate alarm if a vehicle changes route without reason.
