Sushma Swaraj assures family Indian Govt. working to get her released.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
An Indian woman working with an NGO in Afghanistan was abducted by an unknown terrorist group along with two other persons, on Thursday.
The times of India reported that the woman is Judith D’Souza, and she was kidnapped from outside her office in Kabul.
Hailing from Kolkata, D’Souza is working for Aga Khan Foundation, an international NGO, as a senior technical adviser. Two persons kidnapped along with her were a security guard and a driver.
Her family received a call from Indian Embassy in Afghanistan informing about the incident. The family is now trying to talk to the state and central government for speeding up the efforts to secure her release.
“We received a call at around 1:30 am by the Embassy officials. We were told that three persons have been abducted – my daughter, the driver and the security guard. Thereafter, there has been no news and no phone calls from the government. We are all very tense and anxious. We just want her to return safely home,” Judith’s father Denzel D’Souza told Hindustan Times.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj talked to D’Souza’s family and extended the wholehearted help of the government. “We will spare no efforts to rescue her,” she tweeted.
A source in the ministry told The Times of India that Indian Embassy is in touch with senior Afghan authorities, and the authorities have started efforts to release her at the earliest.
In response to a tweet of one of the family members of D’Souza, Swaraj replied, “She is your sister and India’s daughter. We are doing everything to rescue her. Pl take care of your sick father.”
D’Souza was about to return home on next Sunday for her annual holiday, said the family. She had visited her home two-and-a-half months back.
“Just two days back she called us here from Afghanistan. She said that she will return to Kolkata next Sunday for her annual holidays. She never said that her life was at risk. We did not get any phone calls since 1.30 am last night. Our friends, her colleagues in Delhi are trying to get in touch with central government. We are also getting in touch with the state government,” Judith’s sister Agnes was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Aga Khan Foundation has also started efforts to secure the safe release of their senior worker.