39 Indians held hostage by Islamic State alive: Centre

New Delhi: The Union government believes that 39 Indians held hostage by IS in Iraq are still alive as there is no confirmation of reports that they have been killed, Parliament was told on Friday amid concerns express by members over their fate.

A media report had quoted two Bangladeshi worker in Iraq who claimed that IS has killed the Indian workers held hostage by them over five months back.

“On the one hand there is one source about which there is no confirmation. Six different sources have informed the government that they have not been killed,” Ms Swaraj said  after deputy leader of Congress Anand Sharma raised the matter in Rajya Sabha and his party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lok Sabha.