Abducted for ransom, Pakistani killed for his brain

ISLAMABAD - A US-based Pakistani banker who was abducted for ransom in Lahore was killed allegedly by five people, including a quack who wanted to use the man’s brain for making medicine for epilepsy. The five have been arrested, police said.

Young Taimoor, 28, was visiting Pakistan with his wife to spend some time with his family in Lahore, capital of Punjab province, when he was abducted.

Taimoor’s body has been recovered, police said Friday.

Five people, including some of his friends a quack who wanted to use the brain of the dead man for making medicine for epilepsy, were arrested.

A couple of friends of Taimoor were among the accused. They had committed the crime thinking that he had returned from the US with a lot of money.

The abductors first demanded Rs.10 million in ransom which was later reduced to Rs.5 million after negotiations with the family.

The family paid Rs.200,000 as upfront payment and sought time to arrange for the remaining amount.

While in captivity, Taimoor was able to identify a couple of the abductors, who got frightened and decided to get rid of him.

The leader of the gang, a quack named Abdul Wahab, ordered that Taimoor should be burnt alive and buried.

Police said the “accused took out several organs of the deceased and sold them to illegal dealers of human organs in hospitals while the gang-leader wanted to keep the brain for making medicine for epilepsy”.

“They have admitted to their crime,” Dunya TV reported.

Taimoor was a nephew of a senior police officer.