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Two of the four abducted Indians in Libya freed

Hyderabad - The Daesh group is suspected to have carried out the kidnapping.

Four Indian nationals were abducted in Sirte in Libya where the Daesh group holds sway. Two men were released on Friday, the government said.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "Four Indians abducted in Libya - I am happy we have been able to secure the release of Lakshmikant and Vijay Kumar. Trying for other two."
Of the two men released, one belongs to Raichur and the other to Bengaluru, said officials.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweted: "Welcome news from Libya. 2 of the 4 detained Indians brought back safely to University of Sirte. Our efforts continue for the remaining two." Earlier, Swarup said the Indian mission in Tripoli came to know at 11pm on July 29 that four Indian nationals who were returning to India via Tripoli and Tunis were "detained" at a check point, 50km from Sirte.
The Daesh group is suspected to have carried out the kidnapping.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday urged the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to instruct the Indian Embassy in Tripoli to extend all assistance and cooperation in securing the release of two Telugus, who were abducted along with two other Indians allegedly by Daesh.
According to the Andhra Pradesh government's Special Representative in New Delhi K Rama Mohan Rao, Gopi Krishna, one of the professors abducted in Libya was from Hyderabad, while Balaram hailed from Srikakulam in north coastal Andhra Pradesh. "Their identities have been communicated to the External Affairs Minister," he said, adding that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has taken serious note of the incident and was regularly following it up.
Gopi Krishna's wife Kalyani and brother Muralikrishna made an emotional appeal for the release of the hostages. "My husband was planning to come home on a holiday when this unfortunate incident happened. He was abducted by the armed men along with three others," Kalyani said.
"My husband and his colleagues were stopped at a check post and the driver of the taxi was asked to leave. I spoke to him a week ago. He was happy that he is returning home. I urge the government to see that my husband returns home safely," she said.
Andhra Pradesh Information and Public Relations Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy said the Telugu Desam Party was making all efforts for the safe release of Balaram through the cooperation of Indian and Libyan governments.
news@khaleejtimes.com with IANS input