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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/10 August) – An Indian national, who was kidnapped more than a year ago, has escaped from his Abu Sayyaf captors in the province of Sulu, police said.
Senior Supt. Antonio Freyra, Sulu provincial police director, said that Biju Kolara Veetil, 37, managed to escape at dawn Friday while his captors were pre-occupied preparing for breakfast.
Freyra said Veetil was safely recovered by policemen and local government officials around 4 a.m. Friday in Barangay Kadday Mampalam, Patikul, Sulu.
This after a villager who spotted Veetil reported to the police, Freyra said.
Veetil is now in the custody of the Sulu Police Provincial Office after he was subjected to medical check-up, Freyra disclosed.
He described Veetil to be haggard and has lost weight while in captivity in the hinterlands of Sulu for a year and 49 days
Veetil was kidnapped on June 22, 2011 while he and his Filipina wife were visiting his in-laws in Barangay Tempok in Patikul.
Freyra said the departure of Veetil from Sulu will depend on the decision of the couple.
Veetil works as an operations manager at a garment factory in Kuwait. (MindaNews)
