Indian mason seeks government help to get son back from Bangladesh
After his son was taken, he received a call from a man claiming to be his estranged wife's relative from Bangladesh's Jashore. During a video call, Thirupataiah saw his son being tortured
An Indian mason is seeking governmental assistance to reunite with his son, allegedly kidnapped by his estranged Bangladeshi wife and taken to Bangladesh.
Magani Thirupataiah of the Vikarabad district of India met Bandi Sanjay, the minister of state for home affairs, on Saturday (22 June) in order to plead his case, says the Times of India.
Thirupataiah's ordeal began in 2016 when he met Riya, a woman claiming to be from West Bengal, while working in the Mira Road area of Mumbai.
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Riya, who claimed she had recently separated from her husband, worked in the construction sector. The two fell in love and eventually married.
In 2017, they welcomed a baby boy at Srija Hospital in Gowildodoi, Hyderabad.
"We lived peacefully until a third person entered Riya's life, causing disturbances. I was shocked to discover that Riya was actually a Bangladeshi national and a suspected illegal immigrant," Thirupataiah alleged.
After the revelation, the couple separated, and Thirupataiah returned to Telangana with his son.
He enrolled his son at Mandal Parishad Primary School, Balapur (V&M), Rangareddy, in 2022.
Despite their separation, Thirupataiah and Riya remained in contact.
"Following the Covid-19-induced lockdown, Riya informed me that she was returning to Bangladesh permanently and wished to see our son one last time. On humanitarian grounds, I travelled to Mumbai with our son to meet Riya. However, during the meeting, Riya's relatives attacked me and forcefully took my son," he added.
"I roamed the streets of Mumbai seeking help, but no one assisted me. The Mumbai police did not take my complaint seriously, so I returned home in sorrow and despair," Thirupataiah recounted.
He later found out that Riya had reached Bangladesh with their son.
Subsequently, Thirupataiah received a call from a man claiming to be Riya's relative from Bangladesh's Jashore. During a video call, Thirupataiah saw his son being tortured.
The caller demanded money for the child's safety. Thirupataiah sent money multiple times, but the extortion continued.
"I have been emotionally blackmailed and financially drained. Riya's relatives promised to help repatriate my son, but they cheated me," Thirupataiah said.
He has now appealed to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to trace his son and facilitate his return to India. Thirupataiah, who has remarried and has another son, is determined to bring his firstborn back home.
Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Bandi Sanjay, has assured Thirupataiah of his support and promised to take up the matter with the authorities concerned to expedite the process.
