Himachal CM visits families of Iraq hostages

For the first time since the hostage crisis erupted, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister V B Singh on Monday visited the families of two of the hostages.

Truck drivers Antaryami and Tilak Raj, along with Sukhdev Singh from neighbouring Punjab, were abducted on July 20 while on an assignment in Iraq.

Immediately after landing in Una, the chief minister drove straight to Antaryami's house in Dehlan village and met his father Ram Murti and other family members. He then visited the hospital in Una where Tilak Raj's wife was admitted within days of his abduction.

Saying that the government was equally concerned about the release of the duo, he announced an immediate relief of Rs 100,000 to each family.

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He has deputed Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Kumar and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mukesh Agnihotri to keep the families informed about the latest developments in the efforts to secure their release.

Ram Murti thanked the chief minister for his visit.

Later talking to reporters, the chief minister said the government was doing everything possible to secure the release of the hostages and appealed to the media to exercise restrain.

He announced that the government would meet the expenses for the treatment of Tilak Raj's wife Promilla Devi and Antaryami's mother Bhago Devi, both of who are hospitalised.