Government collects DNA samples from kin of 39 Indians abducted in Iraq

Families of all 39 Indians labourers who went missing in Iraq's second largest city of Mosul three years ago have been asked to undergo DNA tests.

"All of us have been asked to undergo DNA test; don't know why. We are very nervous", Gurpinder, the sister of Manjinder, who is one among the 39, told ANI.

39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, were reportedly abducted by ISIS in 2014 when they were trying to leave the city.

As per the reports from Hindustan Times, External affairs ministry has sent a letter to officials in Punjab asking for the samples as the team is set to visit Iraq on October 23.

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Earlier, Iraqi authorities too wrote to Indian officials for DNA samples as it would serve as great help in the search.

“Taking these two strands into account, the external affairs ministry decided to request the governments of the states, to which the missing men belonged, to take DNA samples of their relatives”, a source told Hindustan Times.