Kidnapping drama unravels as two siblings return home

Two young siblings who allegedly went missing from North Nazimabad have been found after 16 hours in a dramatic turn of events.

They were handed over to police by the Rangers as the paramilitary force spokesperson said that they were kidnapped and the kidnappers had called their mother to demand Rs1 million ransom. Police, on the other hand, believe that the two siblings had left home on their own due to the bad treatment they received at the house of their grandparents.As per details, 12-year-old Ayan and 11-year-old Anabiya, residents of North Nazimabad Block H, left their home at 11 o'clock on Tuesday night to buy chips but did not return. After searching the surroundings, the family contacted Hyderi police, which registered a case of abduction based on the statement of the maternal uncle, Salman.

The maternal uncle told The Express Tribune that the children's parents had separated eight years ago. Their mother, Shumaila Naz, currently resides in Dubai and is a TikToker. The children live with their grandmother, and the family claims to have no enmity with anyone.

In a surprising turn of events, the alleged abduction reached its anticlimax. Shumaila Naz confirmed that her children had been found. According to a Rangers spokesperson, the children's mother received a call from abroad demanding a ransom of Rs1 million. Utilising modern technical means, Rangers and police tracked the children as soon as they received the information. The kidnappers left the children in the Hydari area to avoid arrest and fled.

However, SSP Central Zeshan Siddiqui claims that the siblings admitted in their statements that they had left home willingly. Ayan, in his statement in police custody, said, "We left the house of our own free will and spent the night at an uncle's house."

According to Ayan's younger sister, their grandmother used to abuse them, while the aunt compelled them to clean the bathroom and wash the dishes. Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2024.