Thai police with the three Indian nationals who were allegedly kidnapped and held captive in Pattaya. (Photo: X/@The_PattayaNews)Three youths, all in their early 20s, were allegedly lured to Pattaya in Thailand through what was advertised as a low-cost seven-day holiday package, held captive and tortured for five days while ransom calls were made to their families in India — before they were rescued by police on Monday.Their alleged kidnappers, also Indians, were arrested from Bangkok the next day while they were preparing to flee the country, according to local media reports.The five suspects — identified as Avtar Singh (38), Jagjit Singh (38), Rambalak Kumar (24), Sukhbir Singh (37) and Kulra Singh (27) — were arrested from a hotel in Khlong Tan area of Bangkok on Tuesday while they were waiting to board an outbound flight, the Bangkok Post reported, citing the police.While the suspects have reportedly admitted to the charges, they have claimed that a Pakistani national, who they were in contact with via a chat app over the past month, ordered them to kidnap the three Indians. The alleged mastermind is reportedly based in Dubai and had planned to receive ransom payment in cryptocurrency, according to media reports.According to a report in The Pattaya News, the alleged ringleader provided the victims’ flight and passport details to the suspects. The victims were then intercepted and taken to the house where they were confined.The police told the media that the suspects were promised valuables, cash and airline tickets to leave Thailand after carrying out the operation.The investigation began after the Indian Embassy in Thailand alerted Chonburi Immigration Police and Pattaya City Police on July 21, following complaints from the victims’ families, The Nation newspaper reported.Story continues below this adThe families had reportedly shared video call recordings showing the victims with their hands and feet tied, and with assault marks. The abductors demanded a ransom of Rs 40 lakh from the family of each victim, the report said.On Monday, the police raided a two-storey townhouse in Pattaya and rescued the three victims — identified as Mohit (23), Ashish (24) and Himanshu (20). According to a report, the victims told investigators that another Indian national had been held captive at the same property, and was allegedly released after his relatives paid about Rs 30 lakh in ransom.Citing local reports, PTI said the victims were found confined separately on the second floor of the house with their hands and feet tied and their mouths taped. They also bore signs of assault. Investigators recovered adhesive tape, a wooden object allegedly used in the assaults, and red spray paint, which they believe was used to stage photographs and videos of the victims that were sent to their families to pressure them into paying the ransom, it said.There was no official comment from the Indian Embassy in Thailand or the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the matter.Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More Tags:Indian embassyThailand