QURGHON TEPPA, January 29, 2014, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a news conference in Qurghon Teppa, the capital of Khalton province, the first deputy chief of the Interior Ministry’s office in Khatlon, Tolib Nazarov, revealed on January 29 that three cases of kidnapping were reported in the province last year.
“Two of these cases, including abduction of child in the Yovon district, have been solved,” Nazarov said, noting that investigation into kidnapping of resident of the Shouroobod district Bekmat Barotov by Afghan nationals is under way.
According to him, the kidnappers demand 20,000 U.S. dollars in ransom before releasing Bekmat Barotov.
In all, 3,752 crimes were registered in Khatlon province last year, which was 625 cases more than in 2012. More than 91 percent of all the crimes were reportedly solved in 2012.
It should be noted that Afghan drug dealers are taking desperate measure to recover debts. They kidnap residents of border villages and held hostage until their families pay ransom money to clear debts. The southern Shouroobod area is the most vulnerable part of Tajikistan’s common border with Afghanistan.
