Man locked up in own home escapes after throwing ‘help’ notes out of window, Dubai court hears

Three men allegedly stabbed the Pakistani and beat him before stealing Dh100,000 and keeping him hostage for three days.

DUBAI // A man being held prisoner by three others in his own flat escaped by throwing notes with the word "help" out of the window, a court has heard.
On June 22 last year, three Pakistanis barged into a compatriot's flat in Al Quoz, then bashed and stabbed him, the Criminal Court was told on Wednesday.
"We argued, then the three assaulted me with their hands, then one of them stabbed me in the abdomen before they stripped me and took pictures of me naked," said J?K, 38.
On the first day of his three-day ordeal, he threw the notes out of his window whenever his tormentors were looking away, he said.
But it was not until two days later that the messages were found by security men working at Al Khail accommodation in Al Quoz.
Police said they rushed to the flat where they found the captive bleeding and tied to a chair. Only two of his captors were present, officer S?A told the court.
"When we asked them why he had been locked up, they said they had differences with him," he said.
Police said the three captors, all with the initials A?A?J, had taken turns to feed their prisoner and take him to the bathroom.
The victim said they also stole Dh100,000, three smartphones worth Dh5,000 and cheques.
Two defendants, aged 38 and 36, were arrested at the flat but the third remains at large.
In court, all three were charged with depriving the man of freedom, robbery, assault, sexual assault and trespassing.
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