Libya: An Indian couple and their three-year-old daughter who were trying to migrate to Portugal have been kidnapped in Libya, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.
The family, who hail from Badalpur village in Gujarat's Mehsana district, have been identified as Kismatsinh Chavda, his wife Heenaben and daughter Devanshi. The couple's age is not known, but their daughter is said to be 3 years old.
The family was abducted in Libya while they were on their way to Portugal, where Kismatsinh's brother lives, Mehsana Superintendent of Police Himanshu Solanki said.
The family had taken a flight from Ahmedabad in Gujarat to Dubai. From there, they went to the Libyan city of Benghazi. They were abducted before they could reach Portugal. Solanki said that Mehsana Collector SK Prajapati has been informed about the incident.
"Chavda's brother is based in Portugal and hence he was travelling with the help of an agent based in Portugal. The family was travelling with the intention of settling in the European country and the agents involved in the case are not Indians," Solanki was quoted as saying by PTI.
After abducting the family, the kidnappers contacted their relatives in Mehsana and demanded Rs. 2 crore. The relatives then approached District Collector SK Prajapati for help on Friday. The state government and the Ministry of External Affairs have been informed about the kidnapping, he said.