Mehsana Police secure release of kidnapped Gujaratis in Ethiopia without ransom

Three Gujarati cousins from Mehsana who were kidnapped in Ethiopia have been safely released without ransom payment, following remarkable negotiating efforts by local police. The cousins — Mamta (30), Rutvik (23), and Mayuri (27) — from a farming family in Vadasma village were allegedly attempting to travel to the United States via an illegal "dunki" route when they were waylaid in Ethiopia. They were held hostage for a week by abductors who demanded more than Rs 1 crore in ransom.

Inspector A M Gehlot from Mehsana Police conducted extensive phone negotiations with the suspected leader of the kidnappers, identified as "Baba Khan," who reportedly spoke in Hindi. Through these diplomatic efforts and coordination with Ethiopian authorities, the cousins were eventually released. When they boarded Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 640 to Mumbai from Addis Ababa on September 30 evening, they had only their passports, with all other belongings allegedly retained by the abductors.

The three cousins reached Mehsana district on October 1 and visited Langhnaj police station as a procedural requirement. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that three Indian nationals had been kidnapped in Ethiopia and were rescued by local Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa.