5 Indians held in Thailand for abducting 3 tourists

Five Indian nationals have been arrested in Thailand for allegedly abducting three tourists from India and demanding a ransom for their release, according to a local media report.

The five suspects were arrested at a hotel in Bangkok's Khlong Tan area on Tuesday, July 28, while they were waiting to board an outbound flight, the Bangkok Post reported, citing the police.

The suspects were identified as Avtar Singh (38), Jagjit Singh (38), Rambalak Kumar (24), Sukhbir Singh (37) and Kulra Singh (27).

The suspects told investigators that they were instructed by a Pakistani national, whom they had known through a chat application over the past month, to abduct the three Indian men - all of them tourists.

The alleged mastermind is believed to be based in Dubai and had planned to receive ransom payments in cryptocurrency, according to the report.

The police told the press that the accused were promised valuables, cash and airline tickets to leave Thailand after carrying out the operation.

The victims were allegedly lured to Pattaya through what was advertised as a low-cost seven-day holiday package.

But they were instead taken to a house, where they were held captive for several days and tortured before being rescued by police on Monday, July 27, evening, the report added.

The investigation began after the Indian Embassy in Thailand alerted Chonburi Immigration Police and Pattaya City Police on July 21 following complaints from the victims' relatives, The Nation newspaper reported.

The relatives reportedly shared video call recordings showing the victims with their hands and feet bound and allegedly being assaulted. The abductors demanded a ransom of INR 40 lakh (USD 41,831) from the family of each victim, the report said.

Acting on intelligence and security camera footage, police raided a two-storey townhouse in Pattaya on Monday and rescued the three Indian men - identified as Mohit (23), Ashish (24) and Himanshu (20).

Police told the newspaper the victims were found confined separately on the second floor of the house with their hands and feet tied and their mouths taped. They also bore signs of assault.

Investigators recovered adhesive tape, a wooden object allegedly used in the assaults, and red spray paint, which they believe was used to stage photographs and videos of the victims that were sent to their families to pressure them into paying the ransom, the report added.

According to the report, the rescued men told investigators that another Indian national had been held captive at the same property before they arrived and was allegedly released after his relatives paid about INR 30 lakh in ransom.