HYDERABAD: Two Telugu professors, who were held captive by the ISIS for more than a year in Libya, were freed on Wednesday night. The duo, who were rescued in a military action on an ISIS base, are likely to arrive here in the next three days.
The two professors - T Gopikrishna from Andhra Pradesh and C Balaram Kishan from Telangana, who were teaching at Libya’s Sirte University, were abducted by Islamic State militants on July 29 last year.
Gopikrishna is an assistant professor of computer science and Balram is an English professor. They were abducted by IS terrorists while they were on their way to the Tripoli airport to return to India.
After the news of their rescue broke out, there was a festive atmosphere at the residences of the two professors at Trimulgherry and Nacharam here.
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 Thursday.
Balaram’s family said, “We were worried a lot and now are happy that he is safe, and we are now awaiting his return to Hyderabad.”
Balram’s wife Sridevi, a lecturer, was busy answering phone calls from her family members, relatives and friends who came to know about the safe release of the university teacher.
“My husband called us last night. Officials of the Indian embassy in Libya confirmed the news and formalities are being made to provide visa and other facilities to my husband to return to India,” she said.
Gopikrishna’s kin too expressed joy over his release. Kalyani, his wife, said her husband spoke to her over phone on Wednesday night and informed her that he was rescued. “Gopikrishna spoke briefly to inform me that he has been released and is safe,” she said.
He also spoke to his father TU Narayana Rao, who resides at Tekkali in Srikakulam district, and told him that he would return to Hyderabad. Balaram and Gopikrishna were rescued by the Libyan military and are likely to return to Hyderabad in another three or four days. The families have received information from the Indian embassy that the ISIS captors did not harm the professors but utilised their service to teach their members.