Jalandhar: Even as the fate of three Indians abducted in Iraq hang on balance, two truck drivers who were detained and later freed by militants in the war-ravaged country in May, yesterday (Jul 30, 2004) said that over 5000 Indians were in "the custody of the US troops" in the Gulf country and some of them were killed in attacks on the Western forces.

"Over 5000 Indian truck drivers and labourers are still in the custody of the American Army and some of them have been killed in attacks by Iraqi people on the vehicles carrying US Army's personnel and war equipment," Lakhwinder Singh and Harnke Singh of Bhangala village told reporters.

Families of the Indians killed in Iraq were not even informed about the death of their kins, they alleged.

Lakhwinder and Harnke, cousins, were detained by Iraqi militants in May and were later freed on the condition of not returning to Iraq. The came back from Kuwait last month.

"Since the American Army has taken vehicles of Kuwaiti transporters on lease, they forcibly take drivers to Iraq and if anybody shows restrain, they beat him up mercilessly," they alleged. "Even American Army has kept Indian labourers hostages in their camps and do not allow them to leave the premises."

The duo said that their had to leave Kuwait since they were scared and would never go back.

They expressed the hope that the three Indian hostages would be freed by their Iraqi abductors saying, "Iraqi militants have a soft corner for Indians. But they hate Pakistanis since that country overwhelmingly supported American attack on Iraq."