Coimbatore: A nurse couple, held hostage at Al Awari hospital at Benghazhi in Libya by ISIS militants, has sent a desperate SOS to their Kovai-based cousin to rescue them from the ‘horrific conflict zone’.
The terrified couple, P.P. Pramoj and Joshi Pramoj, who are forced to treat wounded militants at the Libyan hospital, which has turned into a militants’ den, had telephonically informed their Coimbatore-based cousin R.Gopinath, pleading for their immediate rescue from the conflict zone.
Nurse Pramoj, who had managed to save his mobile phone from the terrorists, got in touch with his cousin R Gopinath, a city-based businessman. Gopinath told DC that Pramoj was very disturbed and petrified.
"The shelling has intensified near the hospital. There are 39 staff of Indian origin working in the hospital, including doctors, and most of their cellphones have been seized by the terrorists. Food stocks are running out and we are forced to cook and eat porridge once a day with the little rice that is left. We have been prohibited from stepping out and the situation is horrifying," Pramoj reportedly told his cousin on Sunday.
The couple migrated to Libya eight months ago and not been paid for the last four months. When they wanted to return home a few days ago, the hospital management had assured them that there would not be any terrorist attack on the town.
"The couple decided to stay back after these reassurances and return after collecting their pending salaries. Little did they realise that matters would go
haywire," Gopinath said.
"Kerala CM Oomen Chandy had spoken to Pramoj on the day of Deepavali and assured him that efforts were being made to bring them back safely. But the government is not saying what steps are being taken.
