Authorities say that a Forsyth County couple has been charged with kidnapping after an incident at a local library turned violent on Monday, Sept. 23.

Forsyth County residents Kamran Ahmad Shaikh and Maliha Shaikh were taken into custody at the Hampton Park Library in north Forsyth after they allegedly attempted to force an adult male into their vehicle at about 1:10 p.m. on Monday, a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said on Wednesday.

According to sheriff’s office spokesman Nick Sotor, Kamran and Maliha Shaikh arranged to meet with the man at the library on Monday, “in order to confront him about communication with and harassing Maliha [Shaikh].” 

When the two parties arrived at the library, Kamran Shaikh allegedly “assaulted and attempted to remove” the alleged victim from his vehicle, Sotor said.

The victim reportedly pulled a gun to defend himself and attempted to get help from patrons at the library, but was allegedly disarmed by the couple and pulled across the library’s parking lot towards their vehicle.

“People came out of the library after hearing [the victim] yelling for help and called 911,” Sotor stated.

After deputies responded to the scene, Kamran and Maliha Shaikh were placed under arrest and transported to the Forsyth County Jail.

In a statement made to the Forsyth County News on Wednesday, Kamran and Maliha Shaikh denied that they had any intention of harming or kidnapping anyone during the incident, stating that they had come to the library to confront an individual that had been harassing Maliha for several months over social media. 

Kamran Shaikh told the FCN that he and his wife were acting in self-defense during the incident, only taking the individual's gun, throwing it away, and calling for someone to call 911 after the individual pulled out a gun and began to act aggressively towards them. 

"We were defending ourselves," Shaikh said, "I was literally walking to him with my hands up in the air saying, 'I just want to talk', I didn't have a weapon ... he pulled a gun on my wife and bit her ." 

Kamran Shaikh has been charged with kidnapping and simple battery and Maliha Shaikh has been charged with kidnapping.

Both were held in the Forsyth County Jail until Tuesday when they were released under bonds of $23,780 and $22,130 respectively. 

Kamran Shaikh said that he and his wife are in the process of retaining an attorney and are hopeful that the Forsyth County Court System will see the situation from their perspective.