Kin of duo abducted in Libya urge Govt to secure their release

Hyderabad: Family members of T Gopikrishna and Ch Balram, who were kidnapped in Libya allegedly by Islamic State (IS) terror group, today said the Centre should take immediate steps to secure their release at the earliest.

The kin, who are anxiously waiting for their safe return, wants the government to send some representative and hold talks with the abductors and get them released.

“His (Gopikrishna’s) children, who stay here, are crying…The parents in Tekkali are worried about his safety. We want the Central government to talk over this matter immediately and ensure both Gopikrishna and Balram are brought back to India safely at the earliest,” Gopirkishna’s brother Muralikrishna, who stays in Nacharam area here, told PTI.

“It is five days since the incident occurred, but we have no information about them,” he said.

Gopikrishna, an assistant professor at University of Sirte in Libya, is a native of Tekkali in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.

Balram’s wife Sridevi said, “We don’t know in what condition they (Gopikrishna and Balram) are…We don’t know why they have not been released. We are very worried about their safety. The Central government should send some representative, who should talk with the abductors and get both of them released.”

Balram, an English Professor, also works in the same University and hails from Karimnagar district of Telangana.