Chennai, Feb 22 (IANS) It was a happy Sunday for the family of Father Alexis Prem Kumar when they got news of his release from captivity in Afghanistan after eight months -- and from Prime Minister Narendra Modi no less.
"We are extremely happy to hear the news. We thank the government of India and the government of Tamil Nadu for taking efforts in securing his release," Albert Manoharan, brother of Father Alexis Prem Kumar told IANS over phone.
He said Prime Minister Modi spoke to his father and sister Sunday and said Prem Kumar will be back in Delhi Sunday evening.
"It is a great Sunday surprise gift for us," John Joseph, another brother of Prem Kumar, told IANS.
He was all praise for Modi and the central government.
"It is a government that works even on Sundays. We thank the central government, and Prime Minister Modi for the great job," Joseph said.
He said his father and sister plan to leave for Delhi Sunday.
Modi had earlier tweeted about the safe release of Prem Kumar who was kidnapped June 2, 2014 from Herat province in Afghanistan.
His family in Tamil Nadu had been praying for his safe return.
The Jesuit priest, head of NGO Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), was abducted from Zendjan district while he was visiting a project site.
He was visiting a school for Afghan refugee children and had just returned from a trip to Iran and Pakistan.
Before moving to Afghanistan four years ago, Prem Kumar had worked for the JRS, serving Sri Lankan refugees living in Tamil Nadu.
JRS has been working in Afghanistan since 2005 accompanying returnees home from exile in Iran and Pakistan and providing education and healthcare services in Bamiyan, Kabul and Herat. In 2013, more than 6,000 vulnerable people from disadvantaged communities benefitted from these services.
Kupwara Encounter: Three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who infiltrated from Pakistan, were killed in the Kupwara encounter
Pakistan makes repeated attempts to incite terrorism in Kashmir, but they have to face the Indian security forces every time. A similar effort was made on Thursday as well. The army killed three
Insidious The Red Door: Panic reigns in cinemas! There will be a special show of this film at midnight before its release.
New Delhi, JNN. Horror films have a strong fan following in India as well, which delights in being scared. Especially, Hollywood horror films are well-liked. Many Hollywood movies are released in
National Girlfriend Day 2023: Impress your girlfriend in these easy ways without expensive gifts and surprises
National Girlfriends Day 2023: The first date of August is celebrated as National Girlfriend Day. This day is very special for those who are in a serious relationship and do not miss any chance to
FDI: FDI of $ 475 billion may come into the country in five years, MNC considers India as an attractive investment destination
With a focus on reforms and growth rate, India can achieve foreign direct investment (FDI) of $ 475 billion in five years. According to a report by EY and the Confederation of Indian Industry, 71
Amit Shah called Rahul Gandhi a 'Tourist Leader', also gave a befitting reply to the question raised on BJP's DNA
Kolkata. Home Minister Amit Shah is on a tour of West Bengal today. Amidst the Corona epidemic, a spate of political rallies of leaders in Bengal continues. The Home Minister lashed out at the
These changes in America decades later: 60% of girls enter colleges; To increase the number of boys, silent programs are being brought
There is a strange gender imbalance in American colleges these days, but the change isn't going to hurt. For every two students, there are three female students on campus. This has been revealed in
Mamta's government snatched the ministerial post from Partha Chatterjee, now there is a demand to remove him from the party
West Bengal SSC recruitment scam accused Partha Chatterjee has been stripped of his ministerial post amid demands to be expelled from the party. The West Bengal government gave this information on
Shocking incident of Kerala: 17-year-old girl gave birth to a child by watching YouTube, kept pregnancy hidden from parents
A shocking case has come to light in Kerala. Here a 17-year-old girl gave birth to a child at her home. The shocking thing is that the girl delivered the baby by watching YouTube, while her parents
Robbers kill three, escape with cash
Lucknow, Feb 27 (IANS) Three people were shot dead when two men on a motorbike opened fire and escaped with a cash trunk being transferred to an ATM here Friday, police said.The audacious robbery
World Cup 2023: Afghanistan captain especially thanked Indian fans after defeating Sri Lanka
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi on Monday thanked the Indian fans after defeating Sri Lanka by seven wickets with 28 balls to spare in the 30th match of the World Cup 2023.