After 14 months in captivity, an Indian national abducted by al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants in southern Philippines dramatically escaped on Friday from his captors while they were sleeping after fasting for Ramzan.

Thirty six-year-old Kolaraveettil Biju from Kerala, who worked as an operations manager for a garment company in Kuwait, was abducted by the militants in Sulu province in the Philippines in June last year while visiting his Filipino wife's family in Patikul. Residents of a Parang village found him before dawn.

Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra Sulu said Biju was now in the custody of the Sulu provincial police office and was undergoing medical check up. He said the Indian national appeared to be in good health.

The Abu Sayyaf is known for kidnappings, beheadings and bombings, and is on the US list of terrorist groups. The group is believed to be currently holding Australian, Malaysian and Japanese nationals in their captivity.