A couple from Mehsana and their three-year-old daughter were allegedly kidnapped in Libya while attempting to migrate to Portugal, with the abductors later demanding a Rs 2 crore ransom
A couple from a village in the Mehsana district in Ahmedabad and their three-year-old daughter were allegedly taken hostage in Libya while travelling abroad, triggering concern among local authorities and relatives. Officials said the family were attempting to migrate to Portugal when they were abducted, and a ransom demand was later made.
According to police, Kismatsinh Chavda, his wife Heenaben, and their daughter Devanshi were kidnapped in the North African country, which borders the Mediterranean Sea. The family belongs to Badalpura village in Mehsana and was travelling with the help of an agent based in Portugal, where Chavda’s brother is settled, said Mehsana superintendent of police Himanshu Solanki.
Journey and alleged abduction
Solanki said the family flew from Ahmedabad to Dubai on November 29 and was then taken to Benghazi City in Libya, where the alleged kidnapping took place. “Chavda’s brother is settled in Portugal, and he was travelling with the help of an agent based in Portugal. The family was travelling with the intention to settle there, and the agents involved in the case are not Indians,” Solanki said.
The kidnappers later contacted the family’s relatives in Mehsana and demanded Rs 2 crore as ransom, the official added.
Matter taken up with authorities
Prajapati said Chavda’s relatives approached him on Friday, following which he informed the state government and the Ministry of External Affairs about the incident. Sources aware of the development said that local MLA C J Chavda also raised the issue before the state and the Union government, reported the Times of India.
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