Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said the central government should have confirmed the death of Indians in Iraq much earlier.
Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj told Rajya Sabha that 39 Indians, who went missing in Mosul in Iraq in 2014, have been killed by the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State (IS).
Talking to ANI here, Captain Amarinder expressed grief over the news. He, however, said the announcement was expected because it was known much earlier that all hostage Indians had been killed.
"We had expected this. It is very sad. When they (Indians) disappeared and one boy escaped from there, he only told that they all have been killed. The fact was known much earlier. It should have been announced earlier," Captain Amarinder said.
In July last year, Swaraj had firmly said in the Parliament that she would not declare the 39 Indians dead without concrete proof or evidence.
Earlier, India had asked Iraq for help in locating the missing Indians after Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul from IS.
The 39 persons, most of whom hailed from Punjab, were working on projects near Mosul, when they were kidnapped during their evacuation.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
