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KATHMANDU, April 26: As he embarked on a holiday early this month, Suresh Maharjan had never imagined that his holiday would turn into a nightmare.
He had no idea that he was going to be abducted. But what shocked him most was the fact that he was led into the trap by no other than his own friend who accompanied him on the trip.
“I would not have survived to see this day if the police hadn´t rescued me on Wednesday,” said Maharjan, who was rescued in a joint operation of Nepali Police and the Indian Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB, border security force).
According to Maharjan, Ganesh Sharma, a tenant at his house, had planned the holiday and had insisted him to join.
“Sharma told me that he wanted to meet his girlfriend in Palpa and then go to Butwal for holidaying,” said Maharjan.
As they started their trip on April 1, Sharma also discussed going to Nepalgunj to buy mobile phones.
“We reached Butwal on April 1," Maharjan recalled. “Sharma said he wanted to buy 200 mobile sets from Nepalgunj for starting a mobile business in Kathmandu.”
As they reached Nepalgunj, Sharma told Maharjan that the mobile seller from whom he was supposed to buy mobile sets was sick and proposed that they cross the border into India.
“We crossed the border and walked about two kilometers and arrived at a hut. As soon as we entered, somebody covered my face with a towel and then they tied my hands and legs,” Maharjan told Republica by telephone.
He said he remained unconscious for four days, and when he finally regained consciousness, he found himself in another house. "By then the kidnappers had already called my wife demanding ransom for my release," said Maharjan.
The abductors had demanded Rs 30 million in ransom and threatened to kill Maharjan if their demand was not met.
“Though they didn´t torture me physically, they used fowl words and even threatened to kill me,” Maharjan said.
He said he never suspected a friend, whom he had known for more than a year, would throw him into the hands of kidnappers.
Meantime, the police have released the names of two others involved in the abduction identifying them as Shyam Saran Sharma and Surya Timilsina.
Others who have already been arrested in connection to the abduction are Ishwor Dahal, Buddha Tamang, Milan Sanjali and an Indian national, Binod Yadav.
The initial investigation by police has revealed that Dahal, Sinjali and Timilsina are former Maoist combatants who were disqualified by UNMIN. The arrested have been detained at Hanumandhoka.
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