New Delhi: Seventeen Indian citizens, who were held captive by a group in Libya for months, have been successfully released and brought back to India. This achievement is credited to the efforts of the embassy in Tunis and the external affairs ministry, as reported on Monday.
The majority of these individuals are from Punjab and Haryana states. They initially reached out to the embassy in Tunis, which handles matters related to Libya well, on May 26th of this year. The exact date when they were taken captive by the group in Zwara City, Libya remains uncertain; however, there are indications that they were trafficked from India.
Through the involvement of diplomats in Tunis and officials from the external affairs ministry, all 17 individuals were safely evacuated from Libya and arrived in New Delhi on the evening of August 20th.
The family members of those detained played a role by informing the embassy in Tunis about their situation. The embassy maintained communication with their families while engaging in negotiations with Libyan officials throughout May and June. Additionally, alternative channels were explored to ensure their release.
By June 13th Libyan authorities had managed to secure the freedom of these nationals; however, they still faced detention due to their entry into the country. The Indian ambassador, in Tunis, NJ Gangte, along with officials from the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, convinced the Libyan authorities to release the individuals being held.
During this time, the Indian embassy took care of the detainee’s needs by providing them with necessities such as food, medicine, and clothing. Given the absence of their passports, emergency travel certificates were arranged. The airfare for their return was borne by the Indian embassy.
In a related incident earlier in May, nine Indian sailors from the vessel M.T. Maya 1, who had been detained by a militia in Libya for over three months, were also set free, highlighting the proactive role of the Indian authorities in safeguarding its citizens abroad.