32 Tamil Nadu workers trapped in Libya, kin worried

Thirty-two families in various villages in Tirunelvelli district of Tamil Nadu are anxiously waiting for information about their near and dear ones trapped in Libya while the news reached home of an Indian Thursday that he died of his injuries sustained in a road accident last week.
The information about the death of T. Ashok Kumar, 24, who was injured with two other Indians in the accident, reached his home in the district 11.45 a.m. Thursday. Another Indian travelling with him at the time of the accident, Murugaiah, died earlier. The contract worker hailed from Thalaivankottai village. The Tamil Nadu government announced a solatium of Rs.100,000 for his family.

During the night of Feb 19, the three Indians and two Egyptians were trying to cross over to Egypt by car from Tobruk (city in northeastern Libya) when their car met with a head-on collision. The family of the third Indian, M. Muthukumar, injured in the road accident, is praying for his safe return home.

"My husband is in hospital with back and leg injuries. He wants to come back desperately along with other Indians who are expected to leave Libya by ship. I request the Indian government to bring him back along with others (Indians) from this district," Muthukumar's wife, M. Pappathurasi, told IANS over phone.

The couple has a nine-month-old boy, Abhishek. "My husband selected that name and conveyed it from Libya," she said. "Till now he has not seen the baby. He should be brought back immediately. He [...]