Irfan Jaffrey’s family are keenly awaiting his arrival after he was held hostage three months ago by gunmen at Darfur.
Finally Irfan Jaffrey’s family can heave a sigh of relief as he has finally been released. Jaffrey a 32 year old techie was held hostage three months ago by gunmen at Darfur and is currently with Sudanese officials. Sources in the ministry of external affairs confirmed the development. Irfan’s wife Nafisa Jaffrey and his family are keenly waiting for his arrival at home. She had a conversation with him on phone. Jaffrey had been robbed, assaulted and abducted from outside a Turkish restaurant in Sudan on March 11.
Irfan’s wife Nafisa Jaffrey (30) said, “I have received a phone call at about 9:30 pm on Wednesday that my husband has been released. I also spoke to him. He says he is now in Sudan authorities’ custody.”
Jaffrey’s uncle Shakil Ahmed, 45, said that the family received a phone call from Trigyn Technologies Limited, the IT firm that Jaffrey was working for. They informed Ahmed that the abductors had handed over Jaffrey’s custody to Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) chief.
“It’s really a good news that Irfan is been released on the occasion of Shabe Baraat. It’s like Eid being observed during Shabaan. From last three months we had to undergo mental agony after Irfan was held in captive by the armed men. I would like to thank the Sudan officials for helping us.”
“Irfan will be taken to Al Fasher on Friday and then to Khartoum. He is likely to arrive in India on Saturday,” said Ahmed, adding that he spoke to Jaffrey on Wednesday night when the latter confirmed that he was safe.
Official spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin, has also tweeted, “Confirm that Irfan Jafferi was released and is with Sudanese authorities. He will be in Khartoum tomorrow. R Mission in touch with all.”
Although the news has brought a great relief to the family, they will celebrate only after Irfan arrives home.
“I spoke to my husband only for few minutes. I am yet to come to terms with, that our ordeal has ended. However, till he returns home, the fear in mind will not fade away. He was given food, clothes and also had a haircut. He sounded stable” said Nafisa.
Nafisa stays with her seven-year-old child in Dombivali in neighbouring Thane district. Irfan used to visit home twice in a year.
Trigyn Technologies provides services of information and communications technology-related work at United Nations missions across the globe.
