‘I said they are dead’

BATALA : A day after the Centre started collecting DNA samples of the kin of 39 Indians kidnapped by ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, Harjit Masih, 30, a survivor who was shot in his leg by ISIS, said his statement that all his fellow workers were killed, stands confirmed.

“The massacre happened before my eyes. On reaching India, I narrated the details to the authorities but they keep pressuring me not to disclose it,” said Masih. He added: “By asking for these DNA samples, the Centre has in away confirmed my state- ment that all 39 Indian workers are dead. They are collecting blood samples just to match them with the thousands of skeletons lying in the mass graveyard outside the city of Mosul.”

He also questioned why the external affairs ministry was “not accepting the truth” and revealing information about the 39 Indians to their family members. “Since the government claims that these 39 Indians are safe, why has it not produced any of them in the last three years? The truth will be known sooner or later.” VISHAL SALLY