Hinglaj Mata chairperson recovered after two and a half months

Ganga Ram Motiyani had been kidnapped from Lasbela on April 6 and was recovered from Khuzdar on June 19.

KARACHI: Ganga Ram Motiyani, who had been kidnapped on April 6 from Tehsil Bela district Lasbela, was recovered from Khuzdar late on Tuesday night, having spent 73 days in captivity.

Motiyani is the chairperson of the Hinglaj Mata committee and an active member of the Bela Hindu Panchait.

Sources informed The Express Tribune that Motiyani was released after ransom was paid. Sources also said that the talks between the kidnappers and Motiyani's family began soon after his kidnapping, however, the information was not shared with the district police or the local administration.

The Pakistan Hindu Council and Motiyani's family strongly suspect that Motiyani was kidnapped to offer a warning to the Hindus residing in Balochistan, and to members of the Hindu communities across Pakistan in general.

Motiyani would be handed over to the Lasbela district administration on Wednesday and then to the family, sources added.

He had been kidnapped from his store just a coule of days before the annual pilgrimage of Hinglaj Mata began on April 8. The Pakistan Hindu Council subsequently held a protest outside the Karachi Press Club on April 7 and alleged that unknown hands were behind the kidnapping. Motiyani's
kidnapping. The incident had spread fear within the Hindu communities which was already on the edge due to the alleged forced conversion case of Faryal Shah (Rinkle Kumari).

Motiyani's family was not available to verify whether he had been safely recovered.