PESHAWAR: Two members of Sikh community, who were kidnapped from Dera Ismail Khan on February 11, have been released and have reached their home in Peshawar, official source told Dawn.com on Sunday.

The sources said that the Sikh community members have been released after a local jirga (tribal elders) negotiated with the unknown captors. Some insiders, however, said that a huge amount of ransom was paid to secure the release.

The captives, Savendar Singh and Anand Singh, were kidnapped from Dera Ismail Khan on February 11 by unknown assailants.

Anand Singh, speaking to Dawn.com, said he and Savender were running their herbal medicine business in D I Khan when they were kidnapped on gunpoint by masked gunmen riding motorbikes on Feb 11. He said the kidnappers shifted them to an unknown place later.

He said the kidnappers were 10 in numbers who told them that there were some complaints against them and they would only be released if their Amir (commander/chief) is satisfied. Anand Singh rejected the notion that they had been released after payment of ransom.

Special Assistant to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Soran Singh said Anand and Savender were kept in Mir Ali. Another member of the Sikh community in mohallah Jogan Shah told Dawn.com that the two had been released after payment of Rs4 million to the kidnappers.