Mayor honors hero who tried to stop Amsterdam kidnapping

Mayor Eberhard van der Laan awarded the Amsterdam pin to Ezio P. on Thursday for trying to stop two-year-old Insiya Hemani from being kidnapped from her home on September 29th. P.'s last name is being withheld at the request of city officials as the criminal investigation is ongoing.

P. tried to prevent the little girl's abduction by throwing himself on one of the kidnappers. They fought back and he was shocked with a taser, yet still he managed to hold on to the kidnapper until the police could take him into custody. "This selfless, honorable, and heroic behavior makes P. deserving of an award", the city of Amsterdam said in a press release.

Little Insiya was kidnapped by three men, including the one P. managed to thwart. The police believe her father, Shehzad Hemani is behind the kidnapping and that he took the toddler to India. Early last month lawyer Gerard Spong, who works for Shehzad Hemani, hinted that he saw the girl and that she is doing well. The Dutch government is working with the embassy in India to try and get Insiya back to her mother.

The Amsterdam pin is awarded to Amsterdam residents who for five years in a special way worked unpaid for Amsterdam's society on social, cultural or economic level. It is also awarded for persons who performed a unique act to benefit Amsterdam society, like P. did in trying to save Insiya.