Police Rescue Three Indian Tourists Held for Ransom
Three Indian tourists bound and tortured for ransom were rescued from a Chonburi townhouse after being held for five days; police arrested suspects after raiding the property on July 28.
On July 28, 2025, officers led by Lt. Col. Anuek Sathongyu, commander of Pattaya City Police Station, along with officers from Chachoengsao Immigration and Nong Prue Police Station, coordinated with the Pattaya Indian Association to raid a two-story townhouse in Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. Intelligence indicated Indian tourists were being held captive and tortured for ransom.
When suspects fled on motorcycles, police entered the residence and found three Indian nationals in bedrooms, bound with tape over their mouths. All three showed signs of severe torture, with bruised ankles from being beaten with hard objects. One victim had spray paint applied to his body to simulate bleeding. The rescued tourists—identified as Himanshu, 23; Ehis, 24; and Mekhid, 26—were relieved and immediately called relatives in India to report their rescue.
According to the victims' account through a translator, they had purchased a seven-day Thailand tour package for approximately 70,000 baht per person. After arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 5 a.m., they took a taxi to Pattaya. At a restaurant on Sukhumvit Road, they were picked up by a motorcyclist who drove them to the townhouse. Upon arrival, approximately four Pakistani nationals and one Indian man bound them, gagged them, hung them upside down, and beat them with sticks. The gang demanded 10 million Indian rupees (approximately 3.5 million baht) from relatives, threatening to extort money in exchange for release. The victims were held from July 21 for more than five days without food, water, or bathroom access, and were beaten daily.
The rescue operation was initiated after the victims' relatives called Thai police from India requesting help to locate their missing family members. Police conducted surveillance and planning before executing the raid.
