Bharat Dhanji Tapu (Chavda), an overseas citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, was kidnapped in broad daylight at gunpoint by an unidentified gang from his bottle store.
Bharat Dhanji Tapu
Chavda, who has his roots in Gujarat‘s Jamjodhpur, also owns a car showroom in Mozambique. In the CCTV footage, members of a local gang can be seen kidnapping the businessman.
While his Mozambique-based family and friends in Gujarat are worried about his medical condition, the Indian Associations of Mozambique have made a representation before the Indian High Commission on the rise in kidnappings of Indian origins and citizens of India.
“My friend is 58-years-old. He is diabetic and has blood pressure. So far, the kidnappers have made no demand for ransom. But we are worried about his medical condition which might deteriorate,” said his Anand-based friend and business partner Bhavesh Sutariya.
“Fearing such kidnappings, many Gujarati and Indians at large have migrated to Dubai and London. The government of India (GOI) has friendly relations with the Republic of Mozambique. It should put pressure on the government there to intervene at the earliest,” he said, adding that Anand MP Mitesh Patel too has assured support from GOI.
“We expect the Indian government to put pressure on Mozambican government to ensure the safety of all its citizens including NRIs/ OCI,” dozen-odd Hindu associations under the banner of Indian Associations of Mozambique have stated in their representation before the Indian High Commissioner.
When the spat of kidnappings began in 2011, it was thought that its victims belong to a certain social layer. But it has spread to all Indians regardless of their financial position, the associations in their representation stated. In absence of any concrete action from police, the exodus of Indian origin families has already started, it added.
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