Chennai: A Jesuit priest who spent eight months in captivity in Afghanistan and was released four days ago said at his first interview here on Thursday that he had been chained and more than three armed men kept watch over him. His captors told Fr Alexis Prem Kumar, 47, that the next time he returned he would be shot. Concerted action by the ministry of external affairs led to the priest’s release on February. 22.

Fr Prem Kumar earlier worked for Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu as a part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and was working as its director in Afghanistan when he was abducted on June 2.

He said, “I was allowed to pray. I was given three cups of tea. Lunch and dinner had naan, rice, vegetables and meat periodically. The leader of the group assured me constantly of my safety and asked of my health every day. I was not tortured. And the days were unending and I longed for my freedom.”

He added, “Initially the captors would talk of money which they said was on the way for my release but then when nothing happened they never talked of it.” Fr Stan Fernandes, JRS regional director in South Asia, said, “We kept in touch with the embassy, locals and even our staff at the school constantly.”