“Give Me Back My Kislay,” Atal Said — The Kidnapping That Shook Bihar and Toppled a Government

 “Mom, I’m leaving, or I’ll miss the bus,” he said cheerfully. His mother smiled, handing over the tiffin. “Go slowly, and be careful crossing the road.” Kislay nodded, “Yes, Mom,” and stepped out into the mist.

Moments later, as he waved to his friends at the bus stop, a white Tata Sumo without a number plate screeched to a halt beside him. Two men jumped out. Startled, Kislay managed to ask, “Who are you?” before one grabbed his arm and the other covered his mouth with a cloth. He struggled and screamed, “Leave me! Where are you taking me?” But within seconds, the car sped away — swallowing him into the fog.

Children cried out, “They took Kislay!” Bags fell, shoes scattered, panic spread. Later, Hindustan Times would write, “Within moments, chaos engulfed this quiet Patna neighbourhood.”

“Find My Child — Whatever It Takes”

By 7 a.m., Patel Nagar was in turmoil. Neighbours rushed to inform his mother, who ran into the street screaming, “Where is my Kislay?”

His father, K.K. Gupta, Assistant Commissioner in the Commercial Tax Department, stormed into the police station: “My son has been kidnapped!”

The case jolted the Patna Police. SSP N.H. Khan immediately took charge — “This is not an ordinary case. Find the boy at any cost,” he ordered. Within hours, multiple teams were on the ground — tracing calls, blocking exits, and scouring CCTV footage.

By evening, intelligence reports pointed to the mastermind — Chunnu Thakur, operating from jail, with his gang led by Vicky alias Pappu Thakur.

That night, Patna turned into a city under siege. Checkposts lined every exit, and officers moved house to house, determined to bring the boy home alive.

Atal’s Emotional Plea: “Where Is My Kislay?”

January 27, 2005 — Bhagalpur.
At a massive election rally, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took the stage. His voice trembled with emotion as he thundered:
“Where is my Kislay? Give me back my Kislay!”

The crowd fell silent. In those few words, Vajpayee captured the fear and anger of thousands of parents across Bihar. His plea ripped through political circles, shaking the Rabri Devi government and exposing the state’s deepening lawlessness.

For days, “Bring Back Kislay” became a rallying cry. Students across Bihar marched with posters, refusing to eat tiffin until their friend was found. The case dominated national headlines — a symbol of the “kidnapping industry” that had come to define the state.

“Find Him Before the Elections” — Lalu’s Ultimatum

By February 1, eleven days after the abduction and just two days before elections, panic gripped the RJD government. Lalu Prasad Yadav personally called SSP Khan:
“The boy must be found — before voting begins,” he ordered.

That very night, police received a tip: Kislay was being held in Sipara. Before dawn, a special team surrounded the area. Faint cries emerged from a locked room.

“Please get me out of here,” came Kislay’s trembling voice.

The lock was broken. Inside, a terrified but unharmed Kislay stood in the corner. He was rescued at 8 a.m., taken to Zero Mile Police Station, and reunited with his parents. His mother wept as she held him close. The nightmare had ended.

The Crackdown and the Fall of a Gang

The rescue sparked one of Bihar’s biggest manhunts. On February 9, police tracked the main accused, Vicky Thakur, to Shastri Nagar. A fierce encounter followed — two policemen were injured, and Vicky was shot dead. His associates were later arrested in Delhi.

In court, both Kislay and his father testified. SSP Khan told the judge, “Our team worked day and night. Reports were sent daily to the President’s Secretariat.”

A Turning Point in Bihar’s Politics

The Kislay kidnapping became a defining moment in Bihar’s political history. It symbolized the collapse of law and order and eroded public trust in the ruling RJD.

When the results came, the verdict was clear — the NDA swept to power, Nitish Kumar became Chief Minister, and Bihar began a new chapter.

The haunting image of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s voice echoing through Bhagalpur — “Give me back my Kislay” — remained etched in memory, marking the end of an era and the rebirth of a state long held hostage by fear.