E-Paper
Kidnapped Karnal youth rescued from Philippines
Pradeep went to Singapore in 2016 on study visa to complete hotel management course. He was kidnapped by some unidentified persons on July 25.
A day after a 26-year-old Kaithal youth was rescued from kidnappers in Malaysia with the intervention of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, another 20-year-old youth from Karnal in Haryana was rescued from kidnappers in Philippines by the local police, with the help of Indian high commission on Monday.
The victim was identified as Pradeep Kumar of Dhanokheri village of Karnal district.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Pradeep’s father Rajender Singh, a farmer, said Pradeep went to Singapore in 2016 on study visa to complete hotel management course. He was kidnapped by some unidentified persons on July 25 and kept in a house at a deserted place with his limbs, mouth and eyes tied with tape, Rajender said.
However, his father did not know how Pradeep reached Philippines from Singapore but the Karnal police said that he had shifted to Phillipines in November last year after completion of his one-year course.
Rajender said that one of Pradeep’s is friends, Christiana Lee, sent a Whatsapp image of Pradeep to him on July 27 saying that he was abducted and the kidnappers were demanding Rs 5 lakh ransom. The picture showed Pradeep lying on a mattress tied with brown tape.
“She asked us to send only Rs 1.5 lakh and said that she has arranged Rs 3.5 lakh on her own. But we told her that we were not in the position to even arrange Rs1.5 lakh,” the father said.
He said that on July 28, he informed the Karnal SP Surender Bhoria and the SP informed the higher authorities, following which Pradeep was rescued with the help of Indian high commission.
“The police have told us that my son will return home soon,” said Rajender, adding that he has talked to Pradeep who told him that he was kidnapped by unidentified persons when he was going to buy some edibles.
Meanwhile, SP Bhoria said that soon after the matter was brought to the notice of the police, it was taken up with the Indian embassy in Philippines via e-mail and Pradeep was rescued within few hours.
The SP said, “Pradeep is safe and the Indian embassy there is providing all assistance to him.”
He said the local police were investigating whether Pradeep had a valid visa of Philippines, besides probing the background of the girl, who contacted the father.
