39 Indians, ISIS and Harjit Masih’s Great Escape

40 Indians were abducted by ISIS from Mosul, Iraq in June 2014. Only one returned to India – Harjit Masih.

Harjit Masih is the only one of 40 Indians kidnapped by the ISIS in June, 2014 to have returned to India.

(Photo: The Quint)

Cameraperson: Siddharth Safaya
Video Editor: Nitin Sharma

(This video was first published on 30 March 2016. It has been republished from The Quint’s archives after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced the death of the 39 Indian hostages. For more updates, click here.)

Exactly two years ago, in June 2014, 40 Indians were abducted by ISIS from Mosul, Iraq. Over a month later, only one returned to India – Harjit Masih – bringing with him a horrific story. He said that while he survived, his 39 fellow captives were killed. But, this isn’t what the Indian government or the families of the other 39 believe. They call Masih a liar and insist that the others are alive, and still held hostage by the ISIS.

On 30 March 2016, reports emerged of Harjit Masih’s arrest by the Punjab Police for a case lodged against him under the Immigration Act and forgery. He has been accused of involvement in an alleged immigration racket.

In Kala Afghana, a village in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab, The Quint met with Masih and his family to find out more about the 25-year-old’s harrowing tale of escape from Iraq. We also met with 3 of the other 39 families whose sons were abducted.