Hostage Freed After Ransom Demand

[sbk]

Bangkok - Thai police arrested three Indian nationals in Thailand on charges of holding an Indian garment exporter hostage for a 25-million-baht (about R5,2-million) ransom, media reports said on Friday.

Police rescued the hostage, Narendra Dev Pandey, 40, on Wednesday from a house in Nonthaburi province, neighbouring Bangkok, shortly after detaining the gang that had kidnapped him.

Pandey, who suffered broken ribs, was taken to Police General Hospital for treatment. He was kidnapped on Sunday.

The alleged kidnappers were identified as former Kolkata police officer Avinas Pandey, 35, Indrajeet Kumar Pandey, 38, and Jai Prakash Tiwari, 38.

A Thai suspect, Naturja Thongthai, 40, was also arrested in the case, said the Bangkok Post newspaper.

Source: IOL