Kerala priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil meets PM Modi, was rescued from ISIS captivity

Father Tom Uzhunnalil, an Indian origin Vatican priest who was rescued from Yemen after he was abducted by ISIS last year, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar shared a photo of Father Tom Uzhunnalil with the Prime Minister.

The Rev Tom Uzhunnalil, who hails from Kerala, was kidnapped from a home for senior citizens in Aden, southern Yemen, established by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in March 2016. Four nuns were killed during the attack.

"I am very happy, I thank the almighty for making this day possible. All people who have worked in their own ways, I am grateful," Father Uzhunnalil told the media.

Father Uzhunnalil was rescued on September 12.

In July, Union minister Sushma Swaraj had taken up the issue of Uzhunnalil's abduction with the Deputy Prime Minister of Yemen and requested him to secure the release of the priest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had spoken to various countries so that the priest could be released.