Police rescue kidnapped university president
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2005-12-22 09:11

A university president who was kidnapped on Tuesday near his home in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was rescued yesterday morning by police.

Xu Rigan, president of the Inner Mongolia University, was rescued by police yesterday morning. [file photo]

Four suspects were caught in a case that mobilized about 3,500 officers, news reports said.

Xu Rigan, president of the Inner Mongolia University, was on his way home about 6pm on Tuesday when he was kidnapped.

He was about 30 meters from his home when four men jumped out of a white minivan. The men grabbed him, forced him in the minivan and drove away.

Xu's daughter saw him being forced into the vehicle. Three hours later, the kidnappers called a deputy president of the university and demanded 5 million yuan (US$619,126).

Two of the suspects were caught under a bridge in a Hohhot suburb where they were told to collect the ransom.

The duo reportedly told police Xu was still being held by the mastermind, Fan Zheng and his brother, Fan Zhengping.

Officers intercepted the white van on a country road about 7:10am yesterday. The brothers were caught and Xu was rescued.