Unpardonable that kin of Indians killed in Iraq learnt about it from TV: Omar

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today said it was "unpardonable" that the families of 39 Indians, killed in captivity in Iraq, had to learn about their heartbreaking loss from television channels instead of the government.

"Nothing Govt of India says can make up for the sheer heartlessness displayed today. Using Parliament as an excuse for the families of 39 dead Indians having to learn of their heartbreaking loss from TV channels is unpardonable (sic)," Omar said in a tweet.

All the 39 Indians, who were abducted by the ISIS in Iraq nearly three years ago, were killed and their bodies have been recovered, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today.

As many as 40 Indians were originally abducted by the terrorist organisation from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj said in a suo motu statement in Rajya Sabha.

The remaining 39 Indians were taken to Badoosh and killed.

Abdullah said senior officials in the Ministry of External Affairs should have personally informed each of the 39 families before the news was made public.

"Senior people in MEA, if not the Minister & her junior minister themselves, should have spoken to each of the 39 families before the news of the deaths was made public," he tweeted.