Swatee Kher(with agencies)

MUMBAI, May 18: Two families are celebrating Eid today in India, it’s festive time,” said a jubilant Munir Ahmed Nasib at his Mumbai residence as news came of the release of his son-in-law Naeem Sarang Mohammed after 28 days in the custody of kidnappers in Afghanistan.

Naeem, an officer with HEB International Logistics contracted to supply logistics to Afghan police training camps, and 55-year-old Gurong Karna Bahadur were kidnapped by unknown militants while they were travelling in western Adraskan district bordering Iran on April 21. Their Afghan driver was later let off by the abductors.

Naeem is among the 30 Indian employees in the firm, all holding top managerial positions. Bahadur worked in the catering department.

Describing his ordeal while speaking to The Indian Express over phone, Naeem said: “It was like living in hell... It took so long, each day seemed very difficult. I had left it to destiny.. if God wanted me to go through this, I accept it that way.”

Taliban militants, often blamed for such abductions, never claimed responsibility. It was not clear who the abductors were. With police claiming arrest of the head of the kidnapping group, they hope to solve the case now. Naeem has said he didn’t believe the Taliban were involved in the kidnapping.

An Afghan official, Sayed Ibrar Hashimi, was quoted as saying that he did not believe any ransom was paid to free the men, and that their release was due to efforts of the intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security. Security forces had launched a raid overnight on the place where Naeem and Bahadur were held, provincial intelligence chief Habibullah Habib said.

At Naeem’s residence in Mangalore, a joyous Bashir Ahmed, Naeem’s brother-in-law, said: “He called at 6 am today. He said he was tired walking for two days, but otherwise he was doing well. Today, there is a sense of Eid here, with all the relatives and neighbours celebrating.”

Naeem’s family had met Sonia Gandhi a couple of days ago during her Karnataka tour, and she had assured them the government will do everything to ensure his safe release.

Back at the company camp in Herat, Naeem said he was weak from walking for almost 30 hours, but relieved after his first lengthy conversation with his family in India in a month. Recalling his days with the abductors, he said: “There was no physical harm (but) living conditions were bad. We had no food; sometimes we had it once a day or just black tea. I have lost almost 8-9 kg. We were watched continuously. During this period, I bonded with my colleague. He was my buddy. It was because we were together that we survived.”

Beginning of this year, when Mumbai-born Naeem Sarang Mohammed announced that he had decided to take up a job in western Afghanistan, his extended family of engineers was more than a little nervous.

But Naeem, who worked in Kabul for four years in another job, allayed their apprehensions saying things could go wrong anywhere.

“It’s just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is this attitude that has helped him survive during the toughest time,” said Nisar Ahmed Nasib, his uncle.

Naeem moved to Karnataka from Mumbai after his SSC and his family subsequently settled down in Mangalore. Rafat, who has been married to him for 12 years, was visiting her family home in Mumbai with her two daughters and son when the kidnapping took place.

A shy Rafat can barely contain her happiness. “This morning, I heard his voice after a long time and we could speak at length. He sounded tired but assured me that he was safe. He kept asking about the children; he is very close to them.”

As her two daughters Amber and Rumana hang close to her, Rafat whispers: “Amber knew something was amiss, but never asked me. She is mature for her age and would ask my sister what was wrong.”

Sunil Shetty, Director, HEB International Logistics, explained that during the entire period the company kept in touch with the kidnappers and also the Indian authorities, Afghan police and Intelligence agencies. Shetty said that there was no deal with the kidnappers though they were negotiating. “They could call at odd hours, sometimes for 20 seconds, sometimes for a minute. After which they would disappear, for like a day or hours. It however gave us a lot of time to plan and track their movements.”

editor@expressindia.com