GHOTKI: A Hindu cobbler who was kidnapped in Ghotki district of Sindh has been safely recovered by police.
A video of the cobbler, Mohan Lal, was released by kidnappers demanding a ransom of five million rupees from his family for his safe return home.
Sindh government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said that Mohan Lal was back home “safe and sound” and has met his family at the Senior Superintendent (SSP) Ghotki’s office. He said that Chief Minister Sindh has also spoken to him and assured complete support and protection.
Murtaza Wahab had earlier announced Mohan Lal’s release. While responding to Quami Awami Tehreek (QAT) leader Ayaz Latif Palijo on Twitter, he said police had recovered Mohan Lal.
He said a few arrests have been made and the details will be made public soon. He lauded the Sindh police for recovering Mohan Lal within 24 hours.
Ghotki Police has recovered Mohan Lal & he is with the police safe and sound. Few arrests have been made & details will soon be made public. Good job by the police in recovering Mohan within 24 hours https://t.co/4VfSm7E5AO
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) May 11, 2021
A ransom video of the cobbler had gone viral prompting police into action. Mohan Lal, who belongs to the scheduled caste of the Hindu community, left his home in Daharki on May 8 and did not return.
The footage showed a tortured Mohan Lal making an appeal for his ransom in Sindhi, saying that the kidnappers have threatened to kill him. “I’m Mohan Lal. Please arrange Rs50 lac otherwise they will kill me,” he pleaded, urging his family to release the amount as soon as possible.
The abductors can be seen hitting him repeatedly with a stick and instructing him to tell his family to share the video as much as they can and arrange the ransom amount.
The video showed Mohan Lal sitting on the ground, clothed in a blood-stained shalwar kameez. The video went viral on social media, prompting the government to come to his rescue.
Lal’s family had also appealed to the Sindh chief minister, Sindh IGP and other relevant authorities for his recovery. “We don’t have Rs50 in the house to buy ration. How can we afford to pay Rs50 lakhs ransom?” said Lal’s minor daughter while speaking to local media.
