Delhi urged to seek release of kidnapped Indian in Sudan

Dubai, Jul 20 (UNI)Indian Nationals Abroad, a forum that rallies for the rights and welfare of Indians living abroad, is seeking the intervention of New Delhi to expedite the release of an Indian kidnapped by tribesmen in Sudan.

The forum based in Qatar has written to Union Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee seeking urgent action to press for release of Mr P K Abhilash who the forum says is being held capitve and tortured.

Nizar Kochery, president, Indian Nationals Abroad, has also sent the appeal to Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmed and TKA Nair, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.

On May 13 this year, four Indians and their Sudanese driver were kidnapped while they were on their way from Neem Oil field to their residence in Heglig. Two workers managed to escape from their captors while the third fled to his freedom later, Peninsula daily in Qatar said.

The four Indians are technical personnel employed by Petro Energy Contracting Services, who are contractors of Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, a consortium of four companies led by China's CNPC, India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Malaysia's Petronas and Sudan's state-owned Sudapet.

The abductors were always on the move with their captives. The whereabouts of Biswas, one of the adducted who escaped is also not known. Mr Abhilash was employed with Galfar Al Misnad Engineering and Contracting while he lived in Qatar, before joining Petro Energy Sudan.

According to Kochery, Mr Abhilash gave a missed call to Gopan, his ex-colleague from Galfar. After repeated attempts, Gopan was able to contact him on phone. According to Gopan, Mr Abhilash is given food only once in three days. The abductors had first demanded a ransom of 100,000 dollars for his release. Later they reduced it to 30,000 dollars.

UNI XC AM PM0725