THANE: A single word painted on an autorickshaw became the breakthrough clue that helped Mumbra police crack the kidnapping case of a 3-month-old infant and arrest three persons after scanning over 1,600 CCTV cameras in a 6-day operation.The infant, Afiya Khatun Shahrukh Ali, was kidnapped on the evening of Jan 22, near DCB Bank on Khadima-Machine Road when her mother, Farzana Mansuri (23), was crossing the road with her two daughters. A burkha-clad woman offered to hold the baby and vanished into the crowded locality within moments.CCTV footage revealed the suspect fleeing in an auto bearing the word “Aai” (mother in Marathi). Under the guidance of Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre, four special teams tracked the suspects through footage. Technical surveillance led police to prime accused Nasrin Sheikh, a Mumbra resident, who led the team to Mohammad Mujib Gulab (31) and his wife, Khairunnisa (30), who were handed over the baby. – Nishikant Karlikar
