Australian authorities have told the wife of an Indian techie, who is among the hostages at a popular cafe in Sydney, that the operation to free them is likely to be completed in a day while his family members in Andhra Pradesh are praying for his safe release.
The father of Vishwakant Ankireddy (who is in his mid- 30s), currently employed with IT major Infosys, said on Monday his son has been working in Australia for the past seven years. Ishwar Reddy, a native of Guntur, said the IT company called up him at 9 am to inform about the hostage crisis after which he spoke to his daughter-in-law Shilpa Reddy in Sydney to get more details. Shilpa told him that Australian Police met her after her husband was taken hostage and asked her not to worry.
Quoting his daughter-in-law, Ishwar said she has been told the "operation (to free the hostages) will be completed in one day" and was asked not to worry. "My son left for office in the morning at around 10 and went to the cafe where a gunman took him and 29 others hostage. The hostage-taker closed the cafe. The hostages were also offered food," Ishwar said. "My son was working with National Australian Bank in Melbourne and moved to Sydney around eight months ago to work in another bank as Senior Project Manager," he said.
"My son, after completing his studies at BITS Pilani, worked in US and then shifted to Australia after getting a job with Infosys. He returned to India for marriage and has been working in Australia for the past seven years," Ishwar said. With regard to the gunman's demands, Ishwar said "they are not clear".
Guntur (Urban) Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar told PTI that Australian authorities were in touch with Vishwakant Ankireddy's wife. The couple has a 6-year-old daughter.
"We are in touch with the techie's family members here. Vishwakant Ankireddy's father is praying for his safe and early release," the SP said.
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