The fate of the two associate professors from Hyderabad, abducted by radical terror group ISIS in libya on Wednesday remained unknown even as Indian authorities were keeping in constant touch with officials in Tripoli to secure their safe release.
Back home, the families of the two hostages — Balram and Gopikrishna — kept their fingers crossed, waiting desperately for some good news.
ISIS had abducted four Indians at a checkpoint, 50-kms from Tripoli, while they were en route to the airport to catch a flight for India. Two of them — lakshmipati and Vijay Kumar — both from Karnataka, were released on Friday.
Meanwhile, the two Indians, whose release was secured by the Government out of the four kidnapped by Islamic State terror group (ISIS), reached the Indian Embassy in Tripoli on Friday night even as efforts were on to free the other two abductees.
“The two, who were brought to the University of Sirte, reached our embassy in Tripoli last night. They will leave for Tunis tomorrow, efforts (to secure the release of the remaining two) were continuing,” an official source said. “Four Indians abducted in libya — I am happy we have been able to secure the release of lakshmikant and Vijay Kumar. Trying for other two,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on Friday said.
Balram’s family residing at Tirumalgiri in Secunderabad received a message from lakshmipati on Friday evening. “The SMS said that my husband was safe,” said Balram’s wife Sridevi. However, the family of Gopikrishna, who hails from Nacharam in Hyderabad, received no news about his whereabouts.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao expressed hope that both the missing residents of Hyderabad will return home safely and reunite with their families.
Telangana Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma wrote a letter to the Union Foreign Secretary requesting for help to get the hostages released and their safe passage home.
As per the directives of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Secretary wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said a release issued by the CM Office.
Officials at the Telangana Bhavan in Delhi were constantly monitoring the situation and keeping regular touch with the MEA. The Centre is constantly interacting with the Government of libya in hope of a positive outcome. (with inputs from PTI)