Overjoyed family and friends of 22-year old Indian sailor Aman Kumar, who was released by Somali pirates after three years in captivity, accorded him a warm welcome in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.
Kumar was reunited with his parents after a long and anxious wait of three years.
Though the pirates demanded a hefty amount for his release, the Indian Government pressurised the Government of Somalia and ensured his release.
Overjoyed at his return, Kumar's mother, Pushpa Devi, expressed her gratitude to God.
"I am overjoyed and glad that my son has returned after three years. But we had to face a lot of problems. We are thankful to God that he has returned," Devi said.
In recent years, the Somali pirates have carried out hundreds of hijackings.
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In February 2011, India had arrested 28 suspected Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
The cargo vessel, MV Albedo, on which Kumar was a sailor, had been hijacked 1,500 km off the coast of Somalia while sailing from the United Arab Emirates to Kenya.