Alappuzha (Kerala): A 32-year-old woman, who returned from the Gulf only four days ago, was allegedly abducted from her house here by an unidentified gang in the wee hours of Monday only to be abandoned by the wayside later, police said.

The incident happened in the Palakkad district. The armed gang, which barged into the house by breaking open the front door and took her away, was suspected to have connections with a gold-smuggling racket, the police said.

Bindhu, a native of Kurattikkad, had worked in a supermarket in the Gulf. After being released by the kidnappers in Vadakkancherry in northern Palakkad, the woman took an autorickshaw and reached the nearest police station.

Bindhu told reporters that there were four men in the car, in which she was abducted, and they had asked her for money.

She said she did know whether the kidnappers had any connection with the racket.

Also read: Gulf returnee woman abducted from home in Kerala

Earlier in the day, her family had told the police that Bindhu had received some phone calls the other day asking whether she had any gold with her.

When denied there were any, the anonymous callers cut the phone call, they said adding that two people were also found moving under suspicious circumstances near the house after Bindhu reached it from abroad.

Binoy, her husband, said a group of around 15 men, carrying weapons, rang the calling bell of the house, located in Mannar here, at around 2 AM.

Though the family tried to alert the police, they barged into the house and abducted her, he added.

"As per the preliminary information, issues related to gold-smuggling was suspected behind the kidnapping," police said.

A top police officer told PTI that her statement would be recorded after she was taken to the home district.

"Police have got enough clues about the kidnappers. But we cannot divulge them right now. Her statement will be recorded after examining her health condition," he said.

PTI