Abducted Telugu teachers freed from IS in Libya

​New Delhi/Hyderabad: Two Telugu hostages, Balaram Kishen of Telangana and Gopi Krishna of Andhra Pradesh, who were on teaching assignments in Libya and who had been abducted last year, have been set free.

The Ministry of External Affairs, which made all-out efforts to secure their release, finally succeeded in its mission and secured their release from the ISIS abductors.

Announcing this here on Thursday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told the media that both of them were in safe hands now and would reach India at the earliest.

The two were kidnapped on July 29 of 2014 and since then their families were in great distress and have kept appealing to the authorities.

Then Special Representative of AP Government K Ram Mohan Rao had written to Sushma Swaraj at the behest of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu seeking her intervention in this regard.

Balram’s wife Sridevi, who stays in Secunderabad, told the media that they were informed around midnight by the MEA and the Libyan government officials that Balaram has been rescued along with Gopikrishna.

“Balram spoke to me this morning for a few seconds. Our family is very happy. It has been over 14 months that I did not hear from him. I am 100 per cent relieved now and we are waiting for his arrival,” said Sridevi.

Gopikrishna’s brother Murali Krishna said that they had received information through the social media by a friend. “The MEA and Libyan officials also informed my parents. My brother spoke to my parents over phone and confirmed about his release and that he is safe”, said Murali Krishna, who stays in Nacharam.