Men Jailed For Kidnapping Woman

Three men who kidnapped a woman in Leicester before taking her to a secluded area near Lutterworth have each been jailed for ten years.

Ajay Doppalapudi, Vahar Manchala and Rana Yellambai approached the victim after she had been on a night out in the city centre in the early hours of Sunday 16th January 2022.

She got into their car believing it was a taxi and was driven to the village of Misterton, where she was pulled from the vehicle.

The woman was able to run off to the near-by M1, where Police officers found her.

The men, all from Gaul Street, Leicester were convicted of kidnap at Leicester Crown Court and sentenced today:

Doppalapudi, 27, sentenced to 10 years after being convicted of kidnap on 11 September following a trial

Manchala, 24, sentenced to 10 years after being convicted of kidnap

Yellambai, 30, sentenced to 10 years after being convicted of kidnap

Police searching in Misterton following the incident
Pic: Andy Carpenter

The court heard CCTV enquiries identified the car – an Audi – in Leicester city centre and the registered keeper was found to be living in Gaul Street in the Westcotes area of Leicester.

Officers visited the address and all three men – who lived at the property – were arrested.

Detective Constable Gemma Fox, the investigating officer, said: “Without doubt, the three men involved in this case were predators. They were in the city centre in the early hours that Sunday morning looking for a woman to take advantage of to fulfil their own sexual gratifications.

“I cannot commend the victim enough for her immense bravery in recounting her ordeal both to police and again in front of a jury.

“The account she was able to provide was vital in ensuring that we were able to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”

• Doppalapudi and Yellambai were also each charged with two counts of sexual assault on a female and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. They were both found not guilty of both counts of sexual assault on a female, as well as one count of sexual assault by penetration. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the other count for either man.
• Manchala was also charged with two counts of sexual assault on a female and two counts of sexual assault by penetration. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on any of these indictments