M A I N   N E W S

Victim’s final words: ‘It may be my last call’
Two Hoshiarpur youths had called families soon after being abducted
Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Indian Embassy ‘slow’ to act Parminder Singh alleged that the Indian Embassy was slow to act even after learning about the abduction. "After I got a call from by brother, I called up the Indian Embassy in Iraq but no one answered the call. I later talked to one of the officials. Even after informing them about the incident, the embassy failed to act promptly.”

Hoshiarpur, June 19
Two youths from Hoshiarpur had called up their families and informed them about their abduction in Iraq on the night of June 17. As Sunni militants took away a group of Punjabi workers, one of them - Kamaljit of Chhawni Kalan village - rang up his younger brother saying: "They are putting us into a vehicle like cattle. It's the end of everything. I may not call again, take care!."

Kamaljit's brother-in-law Gurdip also talked to his wife saying: "It could be my last call. You please take care of the family."

Kamaljit had gone to Iraq in September, 2013. The family had been surviving on his ex-serviceman father's pension and both had been working in the Gulf for more than two years.

Two of his brothers-in-law and another youth, Sandeep Singh of Noormahal, had gone with him.

Kamaljit's brother Parminder had returned from Al Mansooria (Mosul) in Iraq and he had arranged the four visas with the help of a Dubai-based agent. Kamaljit, too, had returned from Kuwait just 15 days prior to leaving for Iraq. All were working for Tareeq Noor Al Huda Company for General Construction.

Parminder received a call from his brother around 2 am on June 17. He told him that some militants had come to their company compound and taken away all 91 workers. They separated 40 Punjabi youths from local workers and those of a community and asked them to get into a vehicle. "My brother said it seemed to be the end of everything," said Parminder as he broke down along with his mother Santosh.

Santosh had received a call from Kamaljit on June 15 in which he told her that there was nothing to fear. "Who knew that his assurances will lead us to such a day when we will long to see him," she said.

Kamaljit's cousin Anita, who lives in Jaitpur village, had also received a call from her husband Gurdip on June 17.

He told her that they were being forced to board a vehicle and were being taken away. "It may be my last call and God knows what is going to happen. It's your responsibility now… please take care of the family," she quoted him. The phone got disconnected and they could not reach him thereafter. Gurdeep is the father of a three-year-old daughter and a seven-month-old son.