Close family members of Fr. Alexis Premkumar Antonysamy, who was brought back to Delhi after being released from an eight-month captivity of Taliban militants in Afghanistan, were reunited with him around Sunday midnight.
Fr. Alexis’ relatives, including his brother and sister, arrived in Delhi on board a flight from Chennai, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself informed them over phone that he was safe and was being brought back.
Earlier on Sunday, Fr. Premkumar thanked Mr. Modi for rescuing him. However, he did not speak on how he was rescued or his experience in captivity.
Government officials also remained tight-lipped on the rescue operation carried out in coordination with the Afghan agencies.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) welcomed Fr. Premkumar’s release. “The CBCI also wishes to express its gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the efforts taken by him personally and for the many steps by various government agencies to secure his release, said CBCI spokesperson Fr. Joseph Chinnayyan.
Fr. Chinnayyan said on June 4 last year, CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis had sought the urgent intervention of the Prime Minister for the safe release of Fr. Alexis.
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