Student reportedly carjacked, abducted in Kansas City returned safely

By Ben Smith

Monday, July 16, 2007

A University of Kansas student was safely returned home after she was allegedly carjacked from the corner of 98th and Cherry streets in Overland Park early Sunday Morning.

Michelle M. Bhaskar, Overland Park freshman, was reported by her boyfriend to have been taken in her car by what were described by police in an early press release as two unidentified black males, one of whom was armed with a gun.

Bhaskar’s boyfriend said that he had been sitting in the car talking to her when the two men approached. The boyfriend told police that Bhaskar was then taken by the two suspects who drove away, leaving him at the scene. Police found Bhaskar’s car four blocks south of Brush Creek Park a few hours after the abduction was reported. Three K-9 units and a two-man helicopter unit searched the area.

Darin Snapp, Kansas City Mo., police officer, said along with the K-9 Units and helicopter, about 20 officers worked the separate crime scenes, while the rest of the Kansas City police department searched for Bhaskar.

A little more than eight hours later, at 10:30 a.m., Bhaskar was recovered after she telephoned a family friend who in turn contacted police. Police said Bhaskar had no reported injuries and was questioned by detectives until late Sunday night. More interviews were scheduled for Monday.

Snapp said Monday morning that the descriptions of the two alleged abductors were likely to change.

Snapp said that the police were not treating the incident as a hoax. However, the witnesses to the abduction were incongruous.

“We’re getting different stories for different witnesses,” Snapp said. “We now have information that she doesn’t want to press charges.”

The investigation is on-going and police were planning to release more information later Monday, but Snapp said there was very little the police could do if Bhaskar declined to seek prosecution. As a result, the investigation has will be "inactivated", Snapp said.

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