Kerala woman who recently returned from Gulf abducted; involvement of gold smuggling racket suspected

Alappuzha, February 22

A 32-year-old woman, who returned from the Gulf only four days ago, was allegedly abducted from her house here by an unidentified gang in the wee hours of Monday, police said.

The armed gang, which barged into the house breaking open the front door and took her away, was suspected to have connections with a gold smuggling racket, they said.

Bindhu, a native of Kurattikkad, worked at a supermarket in the Gulf.

According to her family, Bindhu had received phone calls the other day asking whether she had any gold with her.

When she denied, the anonymous callers cut the phone call, they said, adding that two people were also found moving under suspicious circumstances near the house after Bindhu reached from abroad.

Binoy, her husband, said a group of around 15 men, carrying weapons, rang the bell of the house, located in Mannar here, at around 2 am. Though the family tried to alert the police, they barged into the house and abducted her, he added.

“We have registered a case and an investigation is on. As per the preliminary information, an issue related to gold smuggling is suspected behind the abduction,” a police officer told PTI.

He said the police could not divulge any other details at this stage of probe. PTI