SELKIANA(LUDHIANA): Balbir Chand, 51, who was a number of the hostages killed in Iraq, had long past there after taking a mortgage of Rs 1.5 lakh at 5% interest. Two months prior to his confinement by Islamic State terrorists, he referred to as up his family and mentioned he had saved a good-looking amount for the wedding of his daughter and would return soon.
The family was excited and hoping to see him. But in June 2014 he referred to as up and mentioned that he and several other Indians have been taken hostage. He also mentioned it could be his last call and sounded nervous. The family began praying for him.
The prayers remained unanswered. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed on Tuesday that the entire 39 Indians abducted and confined by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, in 2014 have been killed. With this the hopes of the family of Balbir Chand of Selkiana village, on Rahon Road, died.
Balbir went to Iraq in 2010 to generate profits. Before that, he worked as contract labour on the divisional woodland division. His spouse, Babli, mentioned, "He would not get a regular salary at the forest department. We have four children, three daughters and a son. We were worried about their education and marriage. One day he told me that he was planning to go to Iraq, where he could earn good money. We all stopped him, but he did not listen. He borrowed Rs 1.5 lakh at 5% interest and reached Iraq through an agent. The initial days were tough and to help him we sent Rs 20,000. For some time he worked on farms and then got a job as a labourer in a steel company in Mosul."
Balbir's brother, Haripal, mentioned, "At the steel company he got good money. In a few years he paid off the debt and also started sending Rs 20,000 every three months."
Babli mentioned, "In April 2014, he called me up and said he had earned enough money and would return soon to plan the marriages of our daughters."
Baljeet recalled, "Around 12.30pm, uncle called me up and said a militant group had taken him, along with other labourers, hostage in the factory. He said it could be his last call. I ran out of the room and made him talk to his wife. After a conversation of three minutes, the call was disconnected. We called him on the same number but someone else picked up the phone and talked in a foreign language. After that, nobody answered the calls."
The family was excited and hoping to see him. But in June 2014 he referred to as up and mentioned that he and several other Indians have been taken hostage. He also mentioned it could be his last call and sounded nervous. The family began praying for him.
The prayers remained unanswered. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed on Tuesday that the entire 39 Indians abducted and confined by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, in 2014 have been killed. With this the hopes of the family of Balbir Chand of Selkiana village, on Rahon Road, died.
Balbir went to Iraq in 2010 to generate profits. Before that, he worked as contract labour on the divisional woodland division. His spouse, Babli, mentioned, "He would not get a regular salary at the forest department. We have four children, three daughters and a son. We were worried about their education and marriage. One day he told me that he was planning to go to Iraq, where he could earn good money. We all stopped him, but he did not listen. He borrowed Rs 1.5 lakh at 5% interest and reached Iraq through an agent. The initial days were tough and to help him we sent Rs 20,000. For some time he worked on farms and then got a job as a labourer in a steel company in Mosul."
Balbir's brother, Haripal, mentioned, "At the steel company he got good money. In a few years he paid off the debt and also started sending Rs 20,000 every three months."
Babli mentioned, "In April 2014, he called me up and said he had earned enough money and would return soon to plan the marriages of our daughters."
Baljeet recalled, "Around 12.30pm, uncle called me up and said a militant group had taken him, along with other labourers, hostage in the factory. He said it could be his last call. I ran out of the room and made him talk to his wife. After a conversation of three minutes, the call was disconnected. We called him on the same number but someone else picked up the phone and talked in a foreign language. After that, nobody answered the calls."
I have saved money, will return soon: Balbir Chand
![I have saved money, will return soon: Balbir Chand]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 22, 2018
Rating:
