Taiwan kidnapping charges over botched marriage proposal dropped

The suitcase in which the woman was put to be transported to a registry office, prompting police to arrest those involved when she escaped and called for help. Photograph: Taiwan Public Television Service

Taiwanese prosecutors have dropped charges against three individuals accused of kidnapping, after learning that the incident was a staged “surprise marriage proposal” that went wrong.

In March, 24-year-old Yang, of the north-western city of Taoyuan, decided to propose to her girlfriend, Huang. She wanted the experience to be memorable, so she hired twomen through a part-time job search app to stage a “kidnapping”.