Five Indian nationals have been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly kidnapping three Indian tourists in Pattaya, holding them captive and torturing them while demanding ransom in cryptocurrency from their families.
Thai police have arrested five Indian nationals accused of kidnapping three fellow Indians and demanding ransom for their release. According to the Bangkok Post, the suspects were detained at a hotel in Bangkok’s Khlong Tan district on Tuesday while allegedly attempting to leave the country. Investigators said the victims were lured to Thailand under the pretext of a budget holiday package before being held captive for ransom.
The suspects have been identified as Avtar Singh (38), Jagjit Singh (38), Rambalak Kumar (24), Sukhbir Singh (37) and Kulra Singh (27).
According to sources, the suspects told Pattaya police that a Pakistani national they had connected with through a chat application about a month earlier had instructed them to kidnap the three Indian men. Investigators believe the alleged mastermind was operating from Dubai and intended to extort cryptocurrency payments from the victims. In return, the accused kidnappers were allegedly promised the victims’ cash and valuables, as well as airline tickets to help them flee Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported.
Police said the victims were promised a budget seven-day holiday in Pattaya but were instead taken to a house and held hostage for several days. They were allegedly tortured before being rescued during a police operation on Monday evening.
The case came to light after the Indian Embassy in Thailand informed Chonburi Immigration Police and Pattaya City Police on July 21, following complaints from the victims’ families. Relatives had shared video call recordings showing the men with their hands and feet bound and allegedly being beaten. The kidnappers had reportedly demanded Rs 40 lakh (around $41,831) from each family.