NEW DELHI: An Indian man held hostage in the Chinese trading hub of Yiwu has sent out a call for help. The trader Deepak Raheja described the horrible conditions he has had to go through.
Speaking to CNN-IBN in a telephonic interview from police custody, Raheja threatened to commit suicide if the Indian government did not intervene and have him shifted to Shanghai in the next 24 hours.
Raheja said, "We are not safe here. Suppliers came inside the hotel even after the police presence. Even a dog will die in such a situation. What is our government doing for us? We are poor people. We will fight the case but in a safe place. We haven't had food, water for days now. If I am not taken to Shanghai within 24 hours, I will commit suicide."
The Indian Embassy in China has asked traders to stay away from the trade hub of Yiwu. It has warned that Indian traders can be illegally held under detention and mistreated by the Chinese businessmen there.
The warning also says that that past experience suggests that there is inadequate safety for foreigners.
The warning came after locals illegally detained Indian traders over a commercial dispute and an Indian official was manhandled during a prolonged court hearing. Two Indians are currently under Chinese police protection.