Two teenagers have been arrested on charge of abducting an eight-year-old girl from Lalitpur on Tuesday.

Metropolitan Police Range, Lalitpur, arrested Bhimsen Bhandari and Binita Baskota, both 19 years old, of Simthali-5, Kavre, from a Chabahil-based guest house in Kathmandu. Police said eight-year-old Samu Pandey (name changed) of Balkumari was held hostage at Purveli Guest House.

Samu had gone missing since Monday from Chysal, Lalitpur.According to police, Baskota had called Samu to play and taken her to Koteshwor where Bhandari, a relative of Baskota, was waiting. Baskota then handed over the child to Bhandari and returned, 

while the latter took the child around town. 

He then took the child to a guest house near Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, where he spent the night. The following day, the child was taken to the Chabahil-based guest house.

Senior Superintendent of Police Pitamber Adhikari, chief of Lalitpur Police Range, said husband of Baskota was recently arrested on theft charge and was presented before the court on March 11. 

At the court, Baskota’s husband had asked her to manage around Rs 200,000-Rs 300,000 to hire a lawyer. 

The same day, Baskota met Bhandari and hatched the abduction plan “in order to manage the money”. 

“They had been looking for around three children but had failed to abduct them,” said SSP Adhikari said. 

“Finally, they planned to abduct Samu and demand Rs 500,000 in ransom. 

They had an understanding to split the surplus amount after releasing Baskota’s husband.”According to SSP Adhikari, there is no evidence of rape or molestation of the minor girl and police have filed abduction charges against the duo.