According to the spokesperson, three of the four Indians are faculty at the University of Sirte while the fourth one works at the varsity’s branch in Jufra.
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Two Indian hostages detained in the city of Sirte were released Friday. The militants had till late evening not agreed to let them travel to safety outside. Libya has now two governments and two parliaments, one based in the east recognized by the worldwide community, while the other self- proclaimed (General National Congress) is based in the west in Tripoli.
Family members of Gopikrishna said they had no information whether the four were kidnapped by ISIS or some other group.
“PM, Sushma Swaraj had got involved and put their efforts in getting back our son, we are very thankful to them”. Kumar and Lakshmikanth have been freed. They have been teaching at the University of Sirte since 2014, said the ministry of external affairs.
Sources in Libya said these men had stayed on hoping for the university to reopen. Two men were released on Friday, the government said.
The minister clarified that Gopikrishna and not Balram hails from Andhra Pradesh. On Thursday they set out in two taxis, but some 50 kilometres from Tripoli, near a checkpost in Sirte, they were detained by unknown men. Gopikrishna, who has two children, went to Libya in 2008 to work as an assistant professor in Sirte University.
Officially, the government has not named IS members as the abductors. Gopikrishna’s family lives in Hyderabad.
The driver informed the family of the abduction.
“The ministry of external affairs, through its head of mission in Tripoli, is ascertaining the details regarding the incident”. “He said he was coming back via Tunisia”.
India, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh are some of the few countries with a mission still functioning in Libya.
39 Indian construction workers are still missing in Iraq.
Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson, MEA also posted on micro-blogging website: “Welcome news from Libya”.
“Situation not normal and we do not hv Embassy there”, she tweeted. Vijay Kumar hails from Bangarpet, Kolar.
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“It’s enough”, the father said.
