Police bust Indian scam gang for kidnapping

An Indian scam gang has been arrested in Thailand after abducting two fellow countrymen and demanding a ransom of 2.5 million rupees (approximately 970,000 baht) for each victim.

- WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

Pol Lt Gen Sarayut Boonsom, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, confirmed the arrest of six Indian nationals and one Pakistani national, including the alleged ringleader, 32-year-old Deep Sandhu.

Police rescued the two victims on Friday during a raid on a rented house in Samut Prakan, where a third Indian victim was also discovered.

The first two victims — Ramesh Sharma, 48, and Amandeep Kajal, 27 — had travelled to Thailand on April 5 with a friend, Sanjeev Kumar, 27. They initially stayed at a hotel in Silom before moving to another hotel in Sukhumvit on April 11.

On April 14, the Indian man picked up Mr Sharma and Mr Kajal, telling them they were to board a flight to Vietnam. Mr Kumar, who later reported their disappearance, did not join them as he did not have a visa, police said.