Inexplicable experience, says Naheem

MANGALORE: With relief writ large on his face, Sarang Mohammed Naheem, who was set free on May 18 after being held captive by militants in Afghanistan for nearly a month, on Wednesday described the ordeal as an 'inexplicable' experience.
    
Naheem, a native of this town, 25 km from Mangalore, was kidnapped by the militants on April 21 alongwith a Nepali and set free following an operation by the Afghan National Security Force (ANSF). Both of them were contracted to supply logistics to Afghan police training camps.
    
"The militants tied our hands and legs with chains and made us to move in the barren lands and mountainous areas by foot, which was a horrible experience", he said at his residence on his return here on a 15-day break.
    
"During captivity, both of us were fed with just Afghan dry nuts and black tea once in a day," he said.
    
"The kidnappers also seized two cell phones and cash from me," he said adding the kidnappers did not allow him to communicate with his Nepali colleague, except once.
    
"On the eighteenth day after abduction, the militants allowed me to talk to my wife, boss and my Nepali colleague was also allowed him to talk to his family," he said.
    
On May 18, the ANSF located the place where the two were abducted by the militants and also arrested two kidnappers, he said adding the ANSF also took them to the Hearth Province to undergo medical check up after their ordeal.
    
Naheem and Karna Bahadur Gurong, contracted to supply log sticks to Afghan police training camps, were kidnapped by unidentified militants while they were travelling in Adraskan district, bordering Iran on April 12. However, their driver was set free by militants.
    
Naheem attributed his release to the efforts made by the Indian government, Sunil Shetty of the HEB Logistics company, Afghanistan and the help rendered by the Afghan government.
   
The intelligence people of Afghanistan asked him about the abductors but Naheem said he could not provide clues.
   
"Two to three groups comprising 15 people communicated with each other in Dari and Persian, which I could not understand," Naheem said.
   
So far, Naheem said, he had no clue as to the reasons behind kidnapping, nor could he identify the kidnappers.
   
Prior to the HEB Logistics company, Naheem, a diploma holder in electrical engineering, worked as a Chief Engineer in Hotel Intercontinental Kabul and joined HEB Logistics in January this year.
   
It was a "hell-like" situation and I regularly prayed to "Allah" who stood behind me during my ordeal.
   
When asked about the future plans, he replied that he wanted to be in the country for a few more months.
   
He said he would leave for Mumbai after a break of 15 days.