C Balaramkishan (left) and T Gopikrishna, kidnapped in Libya, were rescued, said minister Sushma Swaraj
Two Hyderabad professors held captive by ISIS-related groups in Libya for over a year have been rescued, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted this morning.
T Gopikrishna from Andhra Pradesh and C Balaramkishan from Telangana were kidnapped along with two others in the last week of July, about 50 km from Libya's Sirte town while on their way home. They were stopped at the check-post.
Both the professors taught at the Sirte University.
Late on Wednesday, Mr Balaramkishan, who teaches computer science, phoned his wife in Hyderabad saying he was safe and was rescued by the Libyan military.
"We are so relieved. He repeatedly kept asking how our children and I were doing whereas I was asking how he was doing. He said he is doing fine. Now I look forward to his early return," Mr Balaramkishan's wife Sreedevi told NDTV.
Professor Gopikrishna teaches English. His brother Murali said: "We are told they are at Misrata, about 187 km east of Tripoli. The military came upon a group of six including my brother and also Balram."
The families informed the Ministry Of External Affairs and are now hoping that the government will facilitate their return.