An eight-year-old boy, son of a businessman belonging to Ujire in Dakshina Kannada district was kidnapped by an unidentified gang, police sources said. The four-member gang which came by a car abducted the boy from near his house while his grandfather was returning from an evening walk in Ujire on Thursday.

The abductors later called his mother and placed a demand for Rs 17 crore for his release, a complaint filed by the boy's grandfather A K Shivan with the Belthangady police said. The boy, Anubhav, is the son of Bijoy, owner of Bijoy Agencies and resident of Car Street in Ujire. Police have launched a search for the boy. A special team has been formed to investigate the case, the sources said.