Mumbai, Mar 20: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, on Tuesday, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha informed that 39 Indians kidnapped by the ISIS in Iraq are dead. Swaraj said that the following Indians were kidnapped in the city of Mosul in Iraq three years ago. In her speech in the Parliament, Swaraj informed that the kidnappings took place during June 2014.

Sushma Swaraj’s statement in Rajya Sabha mentioned that deep penetration radar confirmed that all Indians were dead. The bodies of the victims were exhumed and were found from mass graves. She said that most of the Indians kidnapped by ISIS were from the state of Punjab.

In her statement, the External Affairs Minister in Rajya Sabha also informed that the bodies were sent to Baghdad for DNA verification. Swaraj said that they received some information yesterday, i.e. on March 19, that the DNA samples of 38 people had matched. The DNA of the 39th victim matched only 70 percent.

Talking in the Upper House, Swaraj said that DNA samples of relatives were sent to Baghdad. She informed that four state governments – Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar – were involved in the process.

Concluding her speech in Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj informed that General VK Singh, Minister of State External Affairs, will travel to Iraq and bring back the mortal remains of the 39 victims. She said that the aircraft will first go to Amritsar, then to Patna and eventually to Kolkata on its return.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2018 11:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).