Indian killed in Lebanon attack

Kendrapara: One Indian – Debesh Kumar Swain has died in the Lebanon fight. Back home, in Orissa, his family is waiting for his dead body to arrive.

Devesh Kumar Swain is the first Indian who died in the Lebanon bombings.

Just two weeks back Devesh was with his family in Orissa on holidays before he left for Lebanon. Devesh's body is expected to arrive in India on Sunday. Devesh's 13-year-old daughter – Minarba is still trying to come to terms with her father's death.

Devesh's daughter Minarba Swain says, “They say my father is no more how would we survive we are so small children. I want to see my father. I request government to please help our family."

While the news of Devesh's death reached his village, his family's worries about their 35-year-old son, Anil, got worse.

Anil has been in Lebanon for the past seven months. Ever since the bombings there has been no news from him. Anil's 60-year-old father had been asking the district collector to get some information about his son, but that hasn't helped much.

Anil's father Dhruba Nanda Swain says, ”What ever information we get is from the media. Government is doing nothing to help us give information. When I asked collector he tells me to contact ministry in Delhi. We are farmers how we can get contacts from Delhi."

As several people are still stuck in Lebanon, their families are trying desperately to get information about their well being.

But with communication being cut off for the most part, it seems these families have many more sleepless nights ahead of them.

(With inputs from Prabhat Parida, Saqib Malik)