Even though the government’s move to conduct DNA tests of the kin of 39 Indian youth missing in Iraq from around three years is alarming but the hopes of their return are still alive among the families. HT team visited a victim family at Chawinda Devi village, around 30 km away from the Amritsar city, on Monday.
Disgruntled with the way life shaped up after Sonu, one of her three sons who went to Iraq four years ago dreaming of a luxurious livelihood, Jeeto ,61, shared her sole wish in life. “I want to see my son before I die.” “He did not listen to my repeated requests as I refrained him from going abroad,” she said. “He was adamant to go and got abducted by ISIS along with 38 other Indians in 2014. He was around 28-year-old then,” she said.
In Amritsar, no kits to collect DNA samples of kin of Indians missing in Iraq
“He was an obedient son. I took Rs 1.5 lakh loan to send him abroad. Though government is helping me in returning the loan but it couldn’t get my son back,” a teary-eyed Jeeto said. Spending Rs 20,000 compensation per month given by the government, Jeeto pays Rs 10,000 as instalment for loan and rest on household chores.
Sonu’s wife Seema ,30, has lost faith in the government. “I work as a domestic help and do labour works where ever possible. I am living for my two kids Karan ,10, and Arjun ,7. I got his last phone call on June 15, 2014.Since then I didn’t hear his voice”, Seema said. She said that her kids repeatedly ask about their father. As far as the DNA test is concerned, Sonu’s younger brother Saba told that they had faced inconvenience so far. “We were told to visit Amritsar Government Medical College but they didn’t even have the DNA kits,” said Sonu.
{{/usCountry}}Sonu’s wife Seema ,30, has lost faith in the government. “I work as a domestic help and do labour works where ever possible. I am living for my two kids Karan ,10, and Arjun ,7. I got his last phone call on June 15, 2014.Since then I didn’t hear his voice”, Seema said. She said that her kids repeatedly ask about their father. As far as the DNA test is concerned, Sonu’s younger brother Saba told that they had faced inconvenience so far. “We were told to visit Amritsar Government Medical College but they didn’t even have the DNA kits,” said Sonu.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, blood samples of family members of the Indians, missing in Iraq, could not be collected on Monday also because the designated health centre in Amritsar does not have the test kits. The kits will be available within 3 to 4 days. Sources said, Government Medical College employee has gone to Hyderabad to bring the kits as they are unavailable here.