Athens: A Pakistani youth was starved to death
in Greece after being held to ransom by kidnappers for over
more than months, the semi-state Athens News Agency reported
Thursday, citing police sources.
The 17-year-old had been found dead by relatives in
January on a street bench in west Athens following a tip-off
from the kidnappers who had helped bring him to Greece in the
first place.
Police said that the teenager had been held captive from
October 2010 and malnourished to force his family to make a
payment of 5,500 euros (USD 7,200).
But even though the money was paid, the kidnappers
demanded more, ANA said.
The police arrested a 24-year-old Pakistani man who
allegedly conducted the ransom negotiations as a suspect and
are seeking another seven, the agency said.
Greece, currently in the throes of a major economic
crisis, is an important hub for clandestine migrants to Europe
from Turkey and the Middle East.
Pakistan is one of the main countries of provenance.
Smugglers charge a high price to bring migrants and
refugees to Greece by plane, speedboat or truck and those who
survive a perilous journey usually end up heavily in debt to
the gangs.
Overall, nearly 100,000 people were arrested in Greece
last year for illegal entry or residence and authorities are
going through some 30,000 asylum requests by migrants and
refugees, according to officials.
PTI
