To hell and back: Kin of kidnapped sailors say they got no help from government

From left Ajay Kumar Pankaj Kumar and Shushil KumarThree men from Himachal Pradesh who had been kidnapped from the midseas en route to Benin Nigeria on January 31 were released a few days ago after their families and agency paid a ransom of 65 million naira The family members have alleged that they didnt receive any help from the government and yet soon after their sons were released External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took credit for rescuing them from piratesThe three mdash Shushil Kumar captain Pankaj Kumar trainee and Ajay Kumar electrician mdash were released earlier this week On November 26 2017 the three had gone to Cotonou a large port city on the south coast of Benin in West Africa with the help of a Mumbaibased crew mining agency There they boarded a ship called MT TIMI which is an old tankerHigh dramaThe ship with the three and other foreign nationals set off and it was smooth sailing with regular calls being made to families Around Januaryend the calls suddenly stoppedShushils younger brother Vinay told midday I got the number of the agency from DG Shippings website and called on it They gave me the number of the ships owner When I called him up he told me that the vessel was midsea and hence not reachable I contacted him on several occasions as there had been no word from my brother but he gave some excuse or the otherOn March 12 my father received a satellite call from the pirates who demanded a ransom of 11 million naira or they would kill them I immediately called the ships owner and asked him why he had been lying He then said that he had been working to try and get them releasedAccording to Shushils family the pirates had first contacted the ships owner but he had refused to pay the ransom Later hed paid 3 million naira and got his ship and foreigners released but the three Indians were not released After this the pirates called up the captains family The family and the Mumbai agency then paid 65 million naira and got the three releasedTough confinementVinay said that when his brother was released he told them that the pirates would give them food only once a day so thats only 75 meals for the 75 days of captivity There was constant fear among the families when the pirates would call in the evenings and make fresh demands and threats On March 24 the captors gave them a deadline of two days to pay the ransomVinay came to Mumbai with whatever the family could afford to pay and the agency helped to raise the rest After release Shushil told Vinay The pirates stopped our ship on January 31 and made us get into a small boat with them They then took us around in circles for nearly four hours after which we were taken into a forest where the pirates set up campManoj Yadav general secretary of Forward Seamens Union of India told midday The families visited all authorities possible mdash the CM foreign affairs minister even PMO but no positive response came from anywhere Finally the agency with our help managed to get the three back The government only helped to bring them back from Nigeria to IndiaAlso Read Hijacked Petroleum Tanker With 22 Indian Sailors Safe On Its Way Back With CrewCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates