Teachers had ignored advisory in July 2014

Hyderabad: Ignoring government advisories against travelling to or working in conflict-hit countries, is landing Indians in crisis, like the recent case in Libya. In July 2014, the ministry of external affairs had advised against travelling to Libya. It was the same time when the two assistant professors — Gopi Krishna and Balram Kishan — had returned to Hyderabad for their annual vacation, but chose to go back to Sirte University.

Balram Kishan, who was one of the four teachers abducted by the IS, chose to go back to Sirte University last year, even though the MEA had issued an advisory during the same period to avoid travelling to Libya

“When he came to visit Hyderabad in July last year, we asked him about the decision to go back. However, he told us that just because there is a conflict in Kashmir, Indians aren’t leaving India, so why should he leave the job in Libya?,” said Mr Balram Kishan’s brother-in-law Venugopal.

Centre took up a massive evacuation operation in Libya in 2011 and post that there were frequent reminders to avoid the country. “Advisories were given time and again, cautioning people to avoid all travel to the conflict-hit countries, but we can’t force people,” said Ramana Reddy, special secretary of General Administration, AP.

However, it’s not just Libya. Some of the nurses evacuated from Yemen too are said to be returning there. “Many Indian nurses we evacuated from Yemen are going back. That is a cause for worry. The situation is not normal and we do not have an embassy there,” external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Friday.