Dattatreya assures safe release of abductees

Hyderabad: Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday assured the family of Balram Naik, who is in the custody of rebels in Libya, that the External Affairs Ministry would take proactive measures for his safe release. The families of two abducted Telugu people Balram Naik and Gopi Krishna met Dattatreya at the Dilkhusha guest house here on Sunday. Naik’s wife Sridevi met the minister and sought his help to set free her husband.

Dattatreya said that the external affairs ministry was trying continuously for the deportation of the Telugu people. He said that the government officials were in touch with the Indian Embassy in Libya. He said government would be with the families of Balram Naik and



Gopi Krishna. One of the freed Indians, Vijay Kumar (56), revealed that all the four abducted faculty members were confined to a dark room. He said kidnappers asked their names, religion and profession.

“We all told them that we are working as faculty members of a university. The abductors informed that they respected teachers and they won’t kill them as they were serving the youth of Libya,” he said. Another freed victim Laxmikanth said that the abductors robbed their money and their belongings. “They asked me why I was trying to leave Libya. They also enquired about our knowledge on Islam. We were not given any food on the first day,” he told international media.