Una/Ropar/Hoshiarpur: An air of desperation helplessness and anger has set in among the family members of the three Indians held hostage in Iraq as villagers and relatives today (July 30, 2004) joined them in prayers for the safe release of the captives.

Life in Ropar, Hoshiarpur and Una, birthplaces of Sukhdev, Tilak Raj and Antaryami, have come to a virtual standstill as angry villagers squatted on the roads accusing the Government of not doing enough to end the hostage crisis, which entered the tenth day.

All roads were blocked and schools, colleges and markets were closed in Una, from where Tilak Raj and Antaryami hailed, soon after news spread that the captives have threatened to kill an Indian hostage and TV channels beamed the picture of a hooded militant pointing an automatic weapon on a person who appeared to be Antaryami.

Panic and desperation have given way to anger in Una town as agitated villagers threatened to set afire Government properties and vehicles with people questioning the steps taken by the Centre in securing safe release of the hostages.

Harjinder Singh, sister of Antaryami, openly expressed her anger at the Government, saying anything could happen if it failed to save her brother. She questioned why these three persons could not be released when the Government had on previous occasions swapped terrorists for hostages to secure freedom of relatives of important people.

Antaryami's father Ram Murti even threatened to end his life if his son was not saved; while his wife was taken to the hospital after her condition deteriorated last night.