Family of Woman Abducted in Kabul Writes to PM With Appeal

New Delhi: Keeping the hope alive that Judith D'Souza will be home soon, her family on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to do his "utmost" in securing her release from abductors in Afghanistan.

Kolkata-based Judith's father Denzil D'Souza, mother Gloria D'Souza, brother Jerome D'Souza and sister Agnes D'Souza wrote a common letter to the Prime Minister, whose copies were sent to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress MP from the state Derek O'Brien.

In the letter, the family members have said that the "brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate" Judith had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and "as an ambassador of goodwill from India's people, participating in the developmental programmes of that country".

Describing her as a "proud Indian", the family said, "as you can imagine, the news of Judith's kidnapping has shocked and stunned us. It has placed a shroud upon our family."

They added, "We were eagerly awaiting her arrival home on vacation in a week from now, and do hope she will be back with us soon."

Judith, working for an international NGO Aga Khan Foundation as senior technical adviser, was kidnapped by suspected militants in the heart of Kabul two days back. She was scheduled to return to India next week.

The family members said the government has reached out to them in "our time of need and anxiety" and the External Affairs Minister as well as an official of the ministry had spoken to them in the past two days.

"However, we still await concrete details," they said.

"Sir, we appeal to you in your capacity as the leader of our great country and as the custodian of the well-being of our citizens, to please do your utmost to get dear Judith back home, among her family, her friends and her people.

Please commit all levers you can bring into play to successfully reunite our family," the family wrote in the letter to the Prime Minister.

The letter noted Modi's remarks earlier that 'Afghanistan's success is a deeply-held hope and desire of every Indian' and said it is so critical to India's engagement with the neighbouring country. "...we seek your active support under this noble sentiment as well."

The family had words of praise for West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government.

"In Kolkata, where we have lived our lives and where Judith was born and educated, the community, our peers and the government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have left us overwhelmed with our warmth and solidarity in this hour of crisis for our family," they said.