New Delhi, September 28: Catholic priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil who was rescued from Yemen, over a year after he was abducted by ISIS has finally reached India on Thursday morning. Notably, Father Tom who hails from Kerala was abducted by Islamic State terrorists in March last year during its attack on an old-age home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in the city of Aden.
After Father Tom landed in New Delhi said, ''I am very happy, I thank the almighty for making this day possible. All people who have worked in their own ways, I am grateful,'' Father Tom Uzhunnalil will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
After meeting the PM and the EAM, Father Tom will fly to Bengaluru to spend a few days with the Salesians Congregation, to which he belongs and will attend a bishops’ conference and share his experience with them. On October 1, Father Tom will arrive in Kerala at Kochi and will then head for his home-town at Ramapuram in Kottayam district. His village is planning a grand welcome for him. Thereafter, the priest will travel to the state capital to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.
Father Tom Uzhunnalil a Catholic priest who was abducted in Yemen in March last year was rescued on September 11 of this year. Father Uzhunnalil was abducted in March 2016 by Islamic State operatives when they attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. At least 15 people at the old-age home were killed in the attack including four nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, one of them from India.
BACKGROUND:
The whole matter came into limelight in December last year when Father Tom Uzhunnalil posted a video in which he appealed to the central government of India and Pope Francis to secure his release. He in a video has also alleged that not enough efforts were being made to free him because, as an Indian, he was “not considered of much value.”
Father Uzhunnalil claimed that his captors have made contact with the Government of India on several occasions but so far, the authorities have taken no steps to free him. "I am very sad that nothing has been done seriously in my regard. Reports have been there in the news that everything is being done to release me quickly. But in reality nothing seems to have happened," the priest said.
Addressing “fellow Christians”, he said, “Nothing has been done by Pope Francis or the Bishop of Abu Dhabi to get me released, in spite of contact being made by my captors… Dear Pope Francis, dear Holy Father, as a father please take care of my life. I am very much depressed. My health is deteriorating,” he said.
Reacting immediately to the video and looking at consequences Minister Sushma Swaraj promised that Indian authority will try their best to bring Father Tom back safely. Minister Sushma Swaraj posted a set of tweets and said, "I have seen the video from Father Tom. He is an Indian citizen and the life of every Indian is most precious for us... We will spare no effort to secure Father Tom's release from captivity."