Prakasam, Aug. 16 -- A man allegedly kidnapped a Class 8 girl in Chimakurthy mandal of Prakasam district to force her father to "repay" a loan of Rs 5 lakh, police said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as R Eswar Reddy of Tirupati, was arrested after an investigation.

According to police, Srinivasa Rao, while working as a labourer in Tirupati, had borrowed Rs 5 lakh from accused Eswar Reddy. Since Rao failed to repay the amount, Reddy decided to target his daughter.

On Friday, after Independence Day celebrations, Reddy went to the school where the girl studied. He convinced her to come with him, saying that her father had sent him to take her home. He then made her sit on his bike, promised her sweets, and diverted her route to Ong...