Police arrested five people, including two Indian nationals, on abduction charges in Birtamod, Jhapa, on Friday night. Security personnel also released three abductees from the clutches of the abductors.

Preliminary police investigation shows that the group was involved in abduction and extortion in an organised way. They rented a house at Shaniarjun Municipality-5 to hold the victims hostage. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhim Bahadur Dahal, Sunil Kumar Singh and Ranjit Singh of India, Om Kumar Kahar of Rupandehi, Santosh Kumar Chaudhary and Sushil Kumar Chaudhary of Saptari were arrested on abduction charge. A pistol and its 19 rounds of bullets and a jeep were also seized from the abductors.

Police claimed Sunil Kumar, the kingpin of the abduction racket, was the member of Pappudev Yadav-led gang involved in the abduction of Biratnagar-based businessman Tulsiram Agrawal.

During rescue operation, security personnel freed Indian nationals—Kamalesh Bhati and Binod Kumar Sakhala of Rajasthan and Jigir Ashokbhai Pamar of Gujrat. The abductors had demanded IRs 1 million from the family of each victim for their release. The family of one of the victims was learnt to have paid the ransom.

Police searched the abductees as per the request of Indian authorities.

Police probe shows that the abductors rented a house for the past one month for the crime. Earlier, the same group had rented a house at Panchakanya area and abducted 16 Indian nationals.