A couple from a village in Gujarat’s Mehsana district and their three-year-old daughter were allegedly taken hostage in Libya while travelling abroad. The incident has caused deep concern among their relatives and local authorities.

Officials said the family was trying to migrate to Portugal when unknown persons abducted them in the North African country. The kidnappers later contacted the family’s relatives and demanded a ransom.

Victims identified

Police identified the victims as Kismatsinh Chavda, his wife Heenaben, and their young daughter Devanshi. The family belongs to Badalpura village in Mehsana district.

Mehsana Superintendent of Police Himanshu Solanki said the family was travelling through an agent based in Portugal. Chavda’s brother lives in Portugal, and the family planned to settle there.

Travel route and abduction

Solanki said the family left Ahmedabad for Dubai on November 29. From Dubai, agents took them to Benghazi City in Libya. Authorities believe the kidnapping happened there.

“Chavda’s brother is settled in Portugal, and he was travelling with the help of an agent based in Portugal. The family was travelling with the intention to settle there, and the agents involved in the case are not Indians,” Solanki said.

Ransom demand made

After the kidnapping, the abductors contacted the family’s relatives in Mehsana. They demanded Rs 2 crore for the family’s release, police said. Officials are now trying to trace the agents involved and verify the details of the abduction.

Issue raised with authorities

Prajapati said Chavda’s relatives approached him on Friday after losing contact with the family. He then informed the Gujarat government and the Ministry of External Affairs about the matter.

Sources said local MLA C J Chavda also raised the issue with both the state and Union governments, according to a report by the Times of India.

Authorities said they are coordinating with central agencies to secure the family’s safety and bring them back to India.