A 30-year-old man from Bhaini village in Phillaur, Jalandhar, was allegedly cheated by travel agents who promised to send him to Italy but instead sent him to Kenya, where he was reportedly kidnapped by a criminal gang. The kidnappers allegedly assaulted him and sent a video of the beating to his family on WhatsApp, demanding a ransom of $70,000 (around ₹58 lakh) for his release.
Travel Agents Allegedly Promised Italy Trip
According to the victim’s father, Kashmir Lal, the family had approached two agents to facilitate Rakesh Kumar’s travel to Italy. One of the agents, identified as Paramjit Singh, is reportedly based in Italy, while his female associate is said to be from Bharsingh Pur village.
The agents allegedly agreed to send Rakesh to Italy for ₹9.50 lakh. The family reportedly paid ₹2 lakh in advance to the brother of the female agent, with the remaining amount to be paid after Rakesh reached Italy.
The family said the agents told them that Rakesh would first be sent to Kenya and would then board a flight to Italy from there. Following this arrangement, Rakesh was sent from Jaipur to Kenya via Dubai on August 5.
However, after reaching Kenya, Rakesh and two other Punjabi youths travelling with him were allegedly taken hostage by a criminal gang.
Family Receives Video of Alleged Assault
The family alleged that on August 6, the kidnappers brutally assaulted Rakesh and sent a video of the incident to them through WhatsApp. They reportedly threatened the family over the phone and demanded $70,000 within five hours, warning of serious consequences if the money was not paid.
Kidnapper Claims to Be ‘Khan Baba’
According to the family, a man identifying himself as ‘Khan Baba’ initially communicated with them in Punjabi before sending messages in English. The man claimed that Rakesh was being held in his custody in Uganda.
The alleged kidnapper reportedly told the family that he had a financial dispute with travel agent Paramjit Singh and that Rakesh would only be released after the disputed amount was paid.
Meanwhile, the family alleged that Paramjit Singh has stopped answering their calls.
Family Seeks Government Intervention
Following the incident, former AAP Phillaur constituency in-charge Principal Prem Kumar visited the victim’s family. He assured them that efforts were being made, with the assistance of the government and administration, to secure Rakesh’s safe return to India. He also said strict action would be sought against those responsible.
The victim’s family has submitted a written complaint to the police, seeking strict legal action against the alleged travel agents and urging authorities to ensure Rakesh’s safe return to India.
