TIRUNELVELI: Amidst the sound of sloganeering, warm hugs from elders, friends and relatives with moist eyes, and scintillating fireworks, the three hostages, who were abducted and freed by a Nigerian armed group for ransom, returned to their native place of Vadakkankulam at around 11.30 p.m. on Thursday.
When the freed hostages reached Thiruvananthapuram airport at around 8.30 p.m. on Thursday, the family members of J. Ajit Kamaraj, P. Vinoth and K. Mohandoss were present to receive them. When the reunited families reached Vadakkankulam shortly after 11.30 p.m. they were welcomed by a group of villagers.
“When the captain of FPSO Mystras noticed the gunmen approaching our vessel in speedboats, we hid ourselves at various points after switching off the lights, but the abductors located and detained us immediately. When we were taken at gunpoint to their hideout, in a mangrove, after a two-hour journey, their colleagues fired in the air. At no point did they harm us. However, we could not know what was happening outside, that is the efforts made to secure our release, since it was a remote area,” said Mr. Ajit Kamaraj.
Though the hostages were confident that their safe passage would be ensured within a couple of days by their firm, which would meet the “demand” of the kidnappers, they were worried that the amount of money demanded by their kidnappers as ransom was too high.
“They told us that they would hold talks with the company first and then with the Indian Government if the talks failed in the first round. However, there was no deadlock at any point and we were released,” said Mr. Vinoth.
Since the company, FPSO Mystras Producao de Petroleo, a joint venture by Singlebuoy Moorings and SAIPEN Nigeria Limited, which ensured the safe release of the hostages after striking a “deal” with the abductors, has ongoing projects in Brazil and Angola too the released hostages have planned to work in any of these two countries. And, the company has also promised to take the trio back in one of these projects in the same positions.
Printer friendly
page Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
