Kailali, March 26
Uttar Pradesh’s Special Task Force abducted a Nepali man, held him hostage for five days and demanded Rs 1.28 million in ransom, it has been revealed.
According to sources, Kutbuddin Miya, who hails from Lekhnath Metropolitan City-4, was released by the state government’s ‘counter-organised crime’ unit after news about the incident spread.
Miya told officials that he went to Tikapur, Kailali, near the Indo-Nepal border on March 20 in course of his personal work. He was allegedly abducted by the STF from Tikuniya on the Indian side of the border the same day. Members of his family told police that the STF demanded INR 800,000 for his release. According to sources, Miya was brought to Kotwali near the border and released by the STF on Saturday evening.
Sources say that Indian authorities learnt about Miya’s abduction when his son-in-law, who had come to Tikapur with the ransom money, was arrested on March 23 by the SSB. The SSB had recovered INR 800,000 from Razud De, who was to meet STF operatives on the Indian side of the border to secure the release of his father-in-law. De is learnt to have told the SSB about the episode. The SSB is then learnt to have relayed the information to its command and attempted to secure his release.
After news spread that Miya had been abducted by the STF, the kidnappers reduced the ransom amount and asked for INR 400,000. But after the abductors learnt that the SSB was looking for Miya, they dropped the plan and released him.
The issue of Miya’s abduction was also raised during a high-level security meeting between the officials of the two countries on Saturday. Sources say that the India side admitted that Miya had been arrested and would be released soon. It would take just 20 more minutes for him to be released.
Following his release, Miya has returned home to Pokharel. Police say it was still not clear why the STF abducted Miya. Indian officials are also tight-lipped about the case.
