Two Indians who were abducted by the Taliban in Afghanistan and subsequently released say they were treated well by the militiamen and are willing to go back to the war ravaged country.
"We feel as if we are born again. We almost went into the jaws of death and came back by the grace of the God," the two young men -- Varadayya and Murali -- who arrived in Hyderabad from Kabul on Sunday told PTI today.
Recounting their 18-day captivity the duo said they were not going to market to buy chicken at the time of their abduction as reported widely.
"At around 1630 in the evening, we went out in the office vehicle as Varadayya wanted to call up his parents back home. Some strangers were also inside the vehicle. After some Afghan colleagues got down at their places, four armed men came in front of the vehicle," Murali said.
"We thought death was staring at us. The driver immediately stopped. The frightened locals left and the armed men entered into the vehicle. They tied our hands and feet and also blindfolded us," he said. "After travelling for three hours, they took us to a house surrounded by hills and there they gave us food."
Asked how their abductors treated them, the two said they were treated well, though they felt uncomfortable wearing the traditional Afghani dress, which the captors made them wear.
"After two days, they kept us in a house for the rest of the captive period. A young man of around 18 years, who was our caretaker, even used to tell us that he will marry a girl from Hindustan," Varadayya said.