The family members of Rev. Alexis Prem Kumar, the Catholic priest from Sivaganga district who was abducted by the Taliban in Afghanistan on June 2, spend their days in hopes and prayers as their agonising wait entered the 175 day on Sunday.
His father A.S.M. Anthony, 70, brothers Albert Manoharan and John Joseph, and sisters Elizabeth Rani, who is the principal of Snehadeepam Matriculation School at Vellore, and Sagaya Selvi are anxious as there has been no breakthrough so far.
The priest, who was working with an educational charity, was kidnapped by six Taliban militants in Herat. His whereabouts are not known, though officials of the Consulate-General of India in Heart and of the External Affairs Ministry have maintained that the priest is safe, and efforts are being made to secure his release.
Two weeks ago, officials of the Ministry told a family member that the priest was safe, and they would secure his release at the earliest, sources in the family told The Hindu on Sunday. A committee of Jesuit priests in Delhi was in touch with the Ministry.
“The only solace is that there has been no adverse report so far. We are happy that he is reported to be safe, but worried about the inordinate delay [in securing his release],” the sources said.
Fr. S. Michael Raj, spokesman of the Diocese of Sivaganga, said the diocese was in touch with Jesuit priests in New Delhi and Chennai, who were coordinating with officials of the Ministry. Last month, the diocese received a message from officials that no harm was done to the priest, he said.
A month after the kidnap, the family members met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on July 24. She assured them that the government would make all efforts to secure his release.
