HATTIAN BALA (Kashmir English): Raja Muhammad Bashir Khan, a resident of Nagni village, a suburb of Chakkar Tehsil, Jehlum Valley District in Azad Kashmir, who had been held captive by dacoits in the Kacha area of Sindh for several months, has finally been safely recovered and returned to his native area, Chakkar.
Talking to Kashmir Digital, Raja Bashir Khan said that the incident occurred on May 17. Before that, some friends lured him to the Kacha area with the promise of marriage and business, and he fell for their trick.
“Friends were calling me so that I could start better business activities there and also finalise marriage matters,” he said adding when he reached that area on the promise of his friends, he was abducted by dacoits, who chained him and subjected to torture.
Raja Bashir Khan stated that the dacoits demanded 70 lakh rupees, two iPhones, and two Rado watches from him, saying that if these things were not provided, he would not be allowed to return alive.
“Two months later, my brothers secured my release from the clutches of the dacoits after paying the ransom.”
“Dacoits kept me moving on boats”
Raja Bashir Khan said that the dacoits kept him moving on boats for the first two days. Then they kept him tied in the jungle for 20 days.
“After 20 days, they blindfolded me and moved me with seven or eight other people to another place where there were seven to eight feet high walls and a thatched roof.”
He further said that a few hours before Eid, there was an abductee from Lahore whose relatives were asked for ransom by the dacoits with a threat that if the ransom was not paid by a certain time, they would send back the body of the abductee.
Those people refused to pay the money and tried to negotiate through the police. On the day of Eid, the dacoits shot him.
Raja Bashir Khan said that the dacoits took everything from him as soon as he arrived. “The 32,000 rupees in my pocket were also taken, my watch was taken, and my mobile phones were taken. Then they tortured me, made a video, took my family members’ numbers, and sent my video to those numbers.”
“My brothers and nephew contacted the dacoits from Saudi Arabia and told them that I should not face any trouble and that they would arrange the money. Then, two months later, they released me after taking the ransom.”
Raja Bashir Khan said that his message to his brothers in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan is not to fall for the lure of marriage and business and to avoid going to the Kacha area. “Otherwise, they will not return alive, and there will be no one to save them.”
