NEW DELHI, 2 August 2004 — The families of three Indian truck drivers being held hostage in Iraq were prepared for another agonizing night of suspense yesterday amid conflicting reports about the release of their loved ones.

“Everyone is again sad. We are left hanging in the middle. But we are still hopeful,” Jora Singh, a cousin of hostage Sukhdev Singh told AFP by telephone from Makkraun Kalan village in Ropar district, 300 km from New Delhi.

“The district superintendent of police has told us that they will be released tomorrow (Monday) morning. The health of Sukhdev’s wife and parents has again gone bad.”

Celebrations had broken out in the village after Kenyan Foreign Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere announced that seven truck drivers including the three Indians had been released and were safe at the Egyptian Embassy in Baghdad.

But the statement was immediately denied by an Egyptian official and by the company that employs them, the Kuwait and Gulf Link Co.

India’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs E. Ahamed said negotiations were still ongoing for the release of the hostages, whom the kidnappers have threatened to behead.

“I wish to convey that as of now we have no confirmation of their release,” Ahamed told reporters in the Indian capital after a meeting of the crisis management group set up to monitor the situation.

“Neither our embassy in Iraq nor in Kuwait have any (such) information.”

He said New Delhi had been informed by its embassy in Baghdad and Kuwait that “negotiations are progressing well” to free the seven truck drivers, who also include three Kenyans and an Egyptian.

“The government is hopeful the deadline (set by the captors to start killing them) will be extended and the hostages will be freed.”

The contradictory reports also dampened celebrations in the village of Dehlan in Himachal Pradesh state, the home of hostage Antaryami, who goes by one name.

But later, family members expressed caution though remaining hopeful.

“We have not heard from the government so far,” said Antaryami’s uncle Ram Dass.

“Two hours back an official from the Prime Minister’s Office called us and said they were not making any announcements. We have been left in suspense but we are still hopeful.” The day had begun on a positive note as the hostages’ employer said negotiations were on the right track. The Indian government too confirmed the kidnappers had extended their deadline for starting to kill the captives by another 24 hours.

The hostages were seized by a previously unknown group called “Islamic Secret Army — Holders of the Black Banners”, which threatened to kill them one by one unless their employer agreed to pull out of Iraq. They also demanded Iraqi prisoners in Kuwaiti and US-run detention centers be freed.

In a videotape released Thursday the kidnappers threatened to “slit the throat of one of the (Indian) hostages on Friday” if their demands were not met. The videotape showed a hooded man holding an automatic weapon to the head of Antaryami.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the weekend India was putting the final touches on a contingency plan to evacuate about 6,000 of its nationals from Iraq.

Promilla Devi, the wife of the third Indian hostage, Tilak Raj, Promilla Devi, meanwhile, said India’s honor should not be compromised in seeking his release.

“I want my husband to be saved, I want him to walk through the door of our house — but not at the cost of India’s honor.