Hope dwindles for families of youths stranded in Iraq

Media reports about bleak chances of survival of about 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq by Islamic State militants have left their families in despair, with the Punjab government and the Union external affairs ministry failing to provide them any information about their well-being.

Media reports about bleak chances of survival of about 39 Indians kidnapped in Iraq by Islamic State militants have left their families in despair, with the Punjab government and the Union external affairs ministry failing to provide them any information about their well-being.

Two youths each from Jalandhar, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur districts, and one from Kapurthala are reported missing in Iraq.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, NRI Sabha president Jasvir Singh Shergill said they had received unconfirmed reports about the death of some Indians kidnapped by IS terrorists in Iraq. "It would not be appropriate to conclude anything unless the Indian government confirms the news," he added.

Shergill said the Union external affairs minister should immediately take steps to get accurate information about youths stranded in Iraq.

Jalandhar deputy commissioner KK Yadav said the families' concerns would be conveyed to the state government for necessary action.

Davinder Singh, brother of Gobinder Singh of Murar village in Kapurthala district, said, "We are not believing the statement of Gurdaspur native Harjit, who reportedly told two Bangladeshis about the killing of stranded Indians."

He said all family members were in shock ever since TV channels flashed news about the killing of 39 Indians.

He added that since June 15, they had not talked to Gobinder, who had gone to work in a Turkish construction company in Mosul (Iraq).

Davinder said they had met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, but nothing had been done by the governments for their families.

Bakhshish Singh, a resident of Mehandpur-Jainpur village in Balachaur (Nawanshahr), said that his son Jasvir Singh (27) was abducted on June 15 by IS terrorists and since then, the family had lost contact with him.

He added that Jasvir had gone to Mosul in Iraq as a construction labourer.