PTC Web Desk: What was supposed to be an affordable holiday in Thailand turned into a terrifying ordeal for three Indian men after they were allegedly kidnapped, tortured and held for ransom by a gang operating in Pattaya.

The victims, aged between 23 and 26, were rescued by Thai police after spending more than a week in captivity. Authorities have arrested five Indian nationals in connection with the case, while several Pakistani suspects believed to be involved are still being hunted.

According to a report published by the Bangkok Post, the victims were lured to Thailand through a low-cost travel package before being abducted and forced to demand ransom from their families in India.

Also Read | Lok Sabha passes tough anti-paper leak Bill with 7-year jail, Rs 10 crore fine; Rajya Sabha clears amended Vande Mataram Bill

Also Read | Middle East tensions escalate: Saudi Arabia joins US strikes on Iran-backed forces in Iraq; Tehran fires missiles, 20 dead

Also Read | One-sided obsession behind Amritsar's Navneet Kaur 's murder in Canada; victim's father says harassment complaints to youth's kin ignored

Thai police arrested five Indian nationals on Tuesday while they were reportedly preparing to leave the country. The arrested accused have been identified as Avtar Singh, Jagjit Singh, Rambalak Kumar, Sukhbir Singh and Kulra Singh. They were taken into custody from a hotel in Bangkok's Khlong Tan area.

The police believe the gang also included Pakistani nationals, who are currently absconding.

Victims lured through cheap Thailand tour package

Investigators said the three victims had each paid around 70,000 baht (approximately Rs 2 lakh) for a seven-day Thailand tour package. They arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on July 21 and later travelled by taxi to Pattaya. They were instructed to reach a fast-food restaurant along Sukhumvit Highway, which served as the meeting point.

According to the victims' statements, an Indian man picked them up one by one on a motorcycle and took them to a rented house. Once inside, they were allegedly overpowered by four Pakistani nationals along with another Indian accomplice.

Held captive for over a week, tortured every day

Thai police rescued the three men on July 27 after tracing the gang's hideout to a two-storey house in Pattaya's Bang Lamung district. During the raid, officers found the victims locked inside separate bedrooms with their hands, legs and mouths tied.

The police also noticed bruises around their ankles, indicating repeated physical assault.

The survivors told investigators they were tortured every day during their captivity. They alleged they were hung upside down, beaten on their ankles with hard objects, denied food, prevented from using toilets and repeatedly forced to contact their families in India to arrange ransom payments.

Photographs released by Thai police reportedly showed one of the rescued men covered in red paint. Investigators said the kidnappers used the paint to make it appear that the victim had suffered serious injuries during video calls with his family, increasing pressure to pay the ransom.

Gang demanded around Rs 70 lakh as ransom

The police said the kidnappers demanded a combined ransom of 2.4 million baht (around Rs 70 lakh) from the families of the three victims.

The rescue operation began after relatives in India contacted Thai authorities seeking urgent assistance.

Dubai-registered phone number used to hide location

According to information, the gang used a telephone number registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, apparently to hide its identity and location. Despite this, investigators managed to trace the suspects' hideout and launched the rescue operation.

"The victims' relatives phoned Thai police to seek help," the officer told the Bangkok Post.

However, the kidnappers managed to flee the house on motorcycles shortly before officers reached the location. A search operation is underway to locate the remaining suspects.

Mastermind suspected to be operating from Dubai

According to investigators, the five arrested Indian nationals claimed they were acting on the instructions of a Pakistani national whom they had met through a chat application about a month earlier.

The police believe the suspected mastermind was operating from Dubai and intended to receive the ransom through cryptocurrency transactions.

The accused allegedly told investigators they had been promised cash, valuables stolen from the victims and flight tickets out of Thailand after completing the kidnapping.

Police warn of growing tourist scam

Thai authorities said the case highlights an emerging tactic used by transnational criminal groups that lure foreign travellers with attractive holiday packages before kidnapping them for ransom.

The police said such scams target tourists by offering unusually cheap travel deals and then exploiting them after they arrive in the country.