Hostage crisis: Direct contact brings hope

Reports of a direct contact between the abductors of three Indian drivers and a negotiator on Friday raised hopes of an early resolution of the Iraq hostage crisis.

Also Read 'Indians fare better than Pakistanis in Iraq' 'I'll die before they kill my son'

The family members of Antaryami and Tilak Raj, two of the three Indians taken hostage in Iraq with four others by a group that calls itself Black Flags, said they are keeping track of the events through TV channels.

Ram Dass, Antaryami's uncle, said there was "no official communication" on the latest developments.

With the abduction drama stretching over a fortnight now, the stress has begun to tell on the hostages' families. Antaryami's mother, Bhago Devi, and his wife, Kusum, are both bed-ridden now.

"Every visitor is looked upon with hope. We don't know who will bring us the good news," Ram Dass said.

Media teams have kept almost an uninterrupted vigil on Antaryami's house in village Dehlan. Stories from Tilak Raj's village, Dharampur, are being reported in the print media every day.

Now, what everybody is awaiting is the "good news."