A young couple from Gujarat who were planning to enter the United States illegally has been held captive in Iran by a Pakistani agent, reported PTI citing police. The agent has reportedly demanded money for the release of the couple, who belong to the Naroda area of Ahmedabad. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Chaitanya Mandlik on Monday said that a process was on to register an FIR in this connection at Krushnanagar Police Station in the Naroda area, the agency said. It added that the Ahmedabad city crime branch has started a probe into the matter.
The official added that since the incident took place outside the country, the crime branch will approach the Indian Embassy in Iran with all details to secure the release of the couple. The duo has been identified as Pankaj Patel and his wife Nisha Patel, both aged 29, the official further said, as quoted by PTI.
As per details shared with Krushnanagar police by the couple's family, PTI stated, the two wanted to enter the US illegally and for this, they came in contact with a Hyderabad-based agent who arranged for their air tickets.
The report stated that the couple was supposed to land at Tehran in Iran and then proceed further as per instructions of the agent, police said. But a Pakistani agent took them to a hotel from the airport and held them hostage there for ransom, the police further added.
They said that the Pakistani agent and his accomplices thrashed Pankaj Patel and sent a video to his kin and sought a huge amount of money to release the couple, the PTI report said.