Two Telugu teachers abducted in Libya a year ago have been released, with their families heaving a huge sigh of relief.
Anxiously waiting and praying for their safe return for more than a year, the families of the two teachers were excited as the news of their release was broken by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Ganesh Nimajjanam, which culminates the 11-day festival. The family members distributed sweets and thanked the government of India.
Gopalakrishna and Balaram Kishan were teachers at the University of Sirte and were abducted by Islamic State (IS) terrorists while they were on their way to Tripoli airport to return to India. Gopalakrishna, an assistant professor at the University of Sirte, belongs to Tekkali in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, while Balram Kishan, an English professor, also works at the same university and hails from Telangana’s Karimnagar district.
They were among four Indians kidnapped by IS on the same day. Two of them were released a few days later: Lakshmikant and Vijay Kumar, hailing from Karnataka, who returned safely following their release.
