2 of 4 Indian Teachers Released by Islamic State, an SMS Says ’We Are Safe’

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi: August 1, 2015: A message from Libya brought some hope to the family of one of the Indians detained in Islamic State controlled territory earlier this week.

"We are safe here in Sirte University do not worry," this message came to the wife of Balram, one of the four Indians detained on Wednesday.

The message was from Balram’s compatriot Laxmikant, who was released on Friday along with Vijay Kumar. Balram and Gopikrishna are still in detention.

As the other two were released, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "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."

The men, who has been working for more than a year at the Sirte university, were detained at a checkpoint about 50 km outside the town late on Wednesday while on their way back to India.

Gopikrishna’s wife said she had spoken to him last on Wednesday. "He said he was coming back via Tunisia. As he didn’t have a visa, he took a permission letter," said Kalyani.

Various militias and Islamist factions have been battling in Libya since former strongman Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in 2011.

The area where the men were detained is controlled by the Islamic State, which has seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria and has declared itself a caliphate.

The Indian government had in July last year issued an advisory asking its citizens to leave Libya. The fact that the Indians who have been kidnapped started working in the country a year ago suggested that they had ignored the warning, said officials.