Kidnapped

It's no longer just the Marwari community-all businesspeople and other wealthy people are being kidnapped for ransom.

There have been over a dozen abductions in the last six months in Kathmandu. Only a few victims go to the police. The kidnappers of those who sought police help have been identified.

Dr Jagdish Lal Baidya of B&B hospital was targeted recently, but did not file a case with the police. Two weeks ago, his son was abducted by a group of armed people and released after Baidya paid Rs 7 million in ransom.

Similarly, former MP Rabindra Lal Shrestha's son Ayush Lal was abducted at 2AM on 17 June and released when his father paid a ransom of Rs 21 million. The details are sketchy because Shrestha did not go to the police, but nine kidnappers (some of them women) are said to have entered Shrestha's house late at night, held the security guard, poisoned the dog, and assaulted the domestic help.

Shrestha and his wife were held at gunpoint and asked for the key to the safe, from which the kidnappers took Rs 4 million. The abductors then said that was not enough and took the son away, saying they'd release him in exchange for Rs 50 million. The kidnappers asked Shrestha to come to Thimi, then Gongabu, and then Chobar to pay the ransom and his son was let go after the amount was paid.

Roop Jyoti's family members, the owner of Shalimar Jewellers Ram Kisan, Anmol Catering's Shiva Kumar Sarabadi, and scores of others have been kidnapped and released after ransom was paid. Kidnapping is on the rise because the victims won't talk, and the law is lax on kidnappers.