Kidnapped Indian in Afghanistan dead

NEW DELHI: Simon Paranthaman (39), kidnapped in Afghanistan for ransom, is dead, according to official sources here. “We have lost him,” they said.

Paranthaman, who hails from a village near Kallakurichi in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, was abducted along with two Afghans in October last from Herat province in western Afghanistan. He is survived by wife Vasanthi, daughter Nirmala (10) and son Ajit (8).

He was travelling in a vehicle with the driver and an interpreter to deliver food on behalf of his employer, Italian food company Ciano International, to Italian troops at a base when the abductors struck.

His brother Subramaniam too works for the company and it was he who informed about the kidnapping to their family. Subramaniam had secured the job for Paranthaman.

There was no word on whether the Taliban was behind his killing. The sources said besides the Taliban, a number of gangs indulged in kidnappings for ransom or sought protection money.

The news of Paranthaman’s death was conveyed on Monday by the Afghan authorities to the Indian Embassy in Kabul, the sources said.

When the report of the kidnapping surfaced after Paranthaman spoke to his brother, then working in Kabul, government sources here asked the media not to air the news as they feared it might jeopardise the chances of his release.

Paranthaman reportedly told his brother that he was being held in a room by some militants, who were demanding ransom.

Some media channels carried the news and after this nothing was heard about him.

Cuddalore Special Correspondent reports:

Simon Paranthaman’s family hopes that the Central and State governments would take steps to get his body back home.

His elder sister Muniamma told The Hindu that after killing Paranthaman, the terrorists, who earlier demanded ransom, wanted the release of the son of a terrorist in an Afghan jail to hand over his body.

Ms Muniamma said Paranthaman’s two children noted down everyday happenings in notebooks to share them with him when he returned. “Now they are deeply grieved and at least hope to see their father’s body.”

Sources said the Collector’s office here had not received any official communication about the death and efforts were on through the Chief Minister’s office, the Home Department and the Protocol office to confirm the news and take necessary action.