Kolkata: Judith D’Souza, an Indian
aid worker who was abducted in Kabul last month by suspected militants,
returned to Kolkata on Sunday after returning to New Delhi on
Saturday after being rescued.
Judith called on Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj soon after
her arrival from Kabul. Modi welcomed Judith to India and thanked Afghan
President Ashraf Ghani for extending cooperation towards her release.
The 40-year-old woman, who works for
Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was abducted from outside
her office in Kabul on June 9.
Judith, accompanied by Indian
Ambassador in Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra, arrived at the Indira Gandhi
International Airport at around 6 PM from where she was driven straight to
Swaraj’s residence.
A visibly emotional Swaraj embraced
her warmly, saying “The daugther has returned home”. Junior Ministers in the
MEA V K Singh and MJ Akbar were also present. Later, the External Affairs
Minister accompanied Judith to meet Modi.
“I am happy to inform you that Judith
D’Souza has been rescued,” Swaraj said, announcing her release through a tweet
on Saturday morning.
She also thanked Afghan authorities
for securing her release. “Thank you Afghanistan – for all your help and
support in rescuing #Judith.”
The External Affairs Ministry was in
constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure the safe release of Judith,
who hails from Kolkata. It was not immediately known who were Judith’s
captors and how she was rescued. She was abducted along with two other persons.
Judith travelled to Kolkata on Sunday
to reunite with her family. Accompanied by her brother Jerome and senior
government officials, she arrived at the NSC Bose International Airport at 6.50
PM by an Air India flight amid tight security.
Even as mediapersons were waiting for
hours at the airport to have a word with Judith and her family members, she was
whisked away through another gate on way to her residence in Entally area of
central Kolkata. Judith reunited with her family a one-and-a-half months after
she was abducted in Kabul, putting an end to the agonising wait for her family
members.
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