Thoothukudi Nurse Fighting for Survival, Claims Family

Lesima not paid salary since February this year; treated well by militants, says mother

THOOTHUKUDI: The family of an Indian nurse, who has been held captive by ISIL in Iraq, has sought the immediate intervention of the State and the central governments to secure the speedy release of their daughter.

Lesima Jerose Monisha (25), daughter of Plasy Lopez, is one among the 46 Indian nurses who has been held captive at Tikrit Teaching Hospital by ISIL.

Among the 46 nurses from India, 45 are from Kerala and Lesima, a resident of Thoothukudi district, is the only Tamilian under the custody of the ISIL.

Back in Thoothukudi district, the family, which is pinning its hopes on the government for the safe and speedy release of Lesima, has demanded the immediate intervention of the Indian government to rescue her and the other nurses.

They claimed that Lesima and other nurses were struggling for survival without money and were also not able to move out of the hospital. Lesima’s mother Edwijammal said that her daughter had not received salary since February and has been struggling for survival.

“The Red Cross volunteers were only taking care of her food and recharging her mobile phone. This has been helping her contact us,” said Edwijammal.

She further said that she was maintaining regular contact with Lesima, who said that the rebels were not subjecting her to any kind of torture. “In fact the rebels had treated Lesima and other nurses well”, she said.

The ISIL militants had offered a permanent job in the hospital with a good salary to her, but Lesima rejected it as she wanted to return to India, claimed her mother.

“I spent a huge sum to send my daughter to Iraq and now our family is reeling under heavy debt. Lesima is the sole breadwinner of our family and her present condition adds more problems to us as interest rates for the debt are increasing rapidly,” rued Edwijammal.

When asked whether there was any official contact from government she said that officials from Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs had told them not to worry about the safety of Lesima.

Edwijammal has also appealed to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to intervene in the issue and put pressure on the Central government to secure the release of Lesima and the other nurses.