Shashank Gupta (25) had been talking to a woman over the phone since August 26. Two weeks later, he decided to meet her — unaware that the first meeting that he looked forward to was nothing but a trap.On Monday, the Greater Noida Police arrested five men for allegedly kidnapping Shashank who had been missing since September 9.According to the police, the debt-ridden accused wanted to make quick money. The kidnappers took Shashank, a resident of Ghaziabad’s Nehru Nagar, to Kannauj. They had demanded a ransom of Rs 4 crore from Shashank’s family for his release, said officers. Their plan was, however, foiled and Shashank was rescued on Sunday, they added.Shashank’s grandfather had alerted the Dankaur police on September 9 that he was missing. The complainant claimed that Shashank’s car was found abandoned on the Yamuna Expressway. Police soon registered a case of kidnapping and launched a probe.On Sunday, acting on a tip-off, teams of officers traced the accused. A gunfight ensued, in which two of the accused were injured, and Shashank was rescued.The accused have been identified as Mohit Gupta, and Sumit Kumar from Farrukhabad, Alok Yadav and Shyam Sundar Gupta from Kannauj, and Nimay Sharma from Noida Extension. Mohit and Alok sustained injuries in the gunfight.Deputy Commissioner of Police, Greater Noida, Saad Miya Khan, said that the accused revealed that Nimay and Alok had planned the kidnapping.Story continues below this ad“Nimay and his friend Alok were under debt. Nimay knew Shashank and his father Manish Gupta, who owns a tile business in Ghaziabad’s Nehru Market,” the DCP said.DCP Khan said that Nimay thought he could pay off his debts with the ransom money. “Alok agreed to join him and then they roped in their friend Nisha alias Preeti, who agreed to befriend Shashank.”Preeti is still absconding, police said.On September 9, Shashank dropped his grandfather in Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram and went to meet Preeti, telling his grandfather that he had to get his phone fixed and so was headed to Noida, police said. As per the plan, Preeti sat in Shashank’s car, while Mohit, Sumit and their accomplice Ankit started following them. After travelling for some distance, Preeti asked Shashank to stop the car. Mohit, Ankit and Sumit entered the car, while Preeti left, police said.According to officers, the three accused took Shashank to Yamuna Expressway where Alok was waiting for them. “They took Shashank in their car to Chibbramau, Kannauj, to a vacant house which belonged to Mohit’s uncle Shyam Sunder. Mohit, Ankit and Shyam Sunder kept a watch on Shashank. Alok and Nimay called Shashank’s father and demanded a ransom of Rs 4 crore.Story continues below this adOn Sunday, Manish agreed to play Rs 50 lakh to the kidnappers. “The kidnappers called Manish to Jewar. Police, meanwhile, traced the accused to an area near Ramner canal. The accused were subsequently arrested,” said the police.“We are looking for Ankit and Preeti. Further investigation is underway,” said officers.