INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
festival-like celebration in Malog village in Palampur when Ajay Kumar, one of the three Indians who were kept captive by pirates in South
After spending 73 days in pirates' captivity in Nigeria, the three men - Sushil Kumar, Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Kumar - who worked for the
merchant navy, returned home in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district.Ajay Kumar, who got a rousing welcome at him home, narrating his story
said that he reached South Africa on January 25
On his company's assignment, he along with two more Indians and 11 South Africans sailed to get the oil loaded
In the middle of the ocean, pirates attacked their ship and kept them in captivity."While the South Africans were let off, we Indians were
taken to a secret location and were kept in a jungle for 73 days," Ajay was quoted as saying by ANI
He said that they were made to talk to their company and families through satellite
He said that it was his faith in God and the Government, who he believed, would free them one day.Under the watch of pirates for 24 hours,
they were taken to an isolated jungle and fed Maggi once or twice a day.Welcoming his son back home, Ajay's tear-eyed mother said, "We will
eat dry chapatis, but will not let our son go outside India now."External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on April 11 tweeted about the
release of the three men who were abducted in Nigeria
"We have secured the release of three Indian nationals Sushil Kumar, Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Kumar - all from Himachal Pradesh who were
I appreciate the efforts of Shri BN Reddy Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria," Ms Swaraj had tweeted.Union health minister JP Nadda also
thanked Ms Swaraj for ensuring their safe release
"I thank Hon'ble @SushmaSwaraj Ji and officials of Indian Embassy for their painstaking efforts in securing the safe release of three youths
of Himachal Pradesh from captivity in Nigeria," he tweeted.
