Belthangady : A local businessman cum advocate has been allegedly kidnapped from his lodge located at Neerachilume in Belthangady taluk on Monday, May 18 night.

Missing person identified as Ramachandra Shenoy (47), a resident of Kalmanja was at his lodge Green Park in Dharmasthala at the time of the incident.

The eye witness and an employee of the lodge, Gajendra stated that Shenoy was seen going in an unidentified car without a number plate at 7:30 pm from the lodge on Monday.

The hotel manager Avinash, immediately informed Shenoy’s wife who then filed a kidnap complaint.

According to the complaint, Shenoy was receiving threat calls from a person named Dinesh Shetty since few months owing to a financial issue.

It is said that Shenoy couple had borrowed Rs 70 lac from Valerian Crasta of Chickmagalur. As they failed to repay the interest, they in-turn offered a land to the money lender at Ujire.

Following the death of Valerian Crasta, his wife Philomena Crasta along with Dinesh Shetty started threatening Shenoy couple for money and this could have led to his kidnap stated his wife.

A case has been registered at Belthangady police station.