History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v5.c83.s8.53

v5.c83.s8.53

On 28th August 1703 two ships of Surat, one belonging to Abdul Ghafur and another to Qasim-bhai, when returning from Mokha were captured by the pirates off Surat. The news of the outrage reached Surat on the 31st, and the governor, Itibar Khan, seized all the Indian brokers of the European Companies, and blockaded their factories, cutting off their food supply and every kind of communication with outside. The brokers of the French and of the new English Company were released, but those of the old English Company (Vittal and Keshav Parekh) were barbarously tortured. Three lakhs of Rupees were extorted by the governor from these two men, and three lakhs more from the brokers of the Dutch.