Every night in Libya was like Shivaratri, say Kannadigas after returning home

For SV Narasimha Murthy, who managed to flee Libya, the last few weeks in strife-torn nation were nothing less than a spine-chilling experience. The sounds of bullet shots and bombs still ring in his ears.

“The bombs and the bullets were the ones which made me run away. It was a frightening experience and was particularly scary during the night,” said Murthy, who returned to India on March 9.

“There was a time when two buildings opposite my house were burnt down by petrol bombs. Only bullet shots could be heard all through the day and night,” recounts Murthy, an English lecturer at the University of 7th April, College of Arts, and a member of the Kannada Vedike.

Since the war broke out in Libya, about 130 members of the Kannada Vedike have returned to India.

“Everything had come to a standstill. Twice or thrice a week, when the supermarkets open, we used to purchase milk and other essentials commodities. Luckily, I had food stored in my house,” he said.

It was just before Shivaratri that Murthy decided to return to India. “Every night was like Shivaratri. With a lot of difficulty, I managed to reach the embassy located in Tripoli. During my travel from Zawiya to Tripoli, there were security checks at various points. They were checking the photographs on our phones, laptops and other memory devices, because they did not want the reality to come out. In fact many of them had their laptops and phones seized by the authorities,” he said.

“However, once at the embassy, we were taken care of well. The officials provided us with food and other amenities and also arranged for our trip back home. I might go back to visit, since I have some commitments, but I won’t stay there for long. I consider myself fortunate to be back,” Murthy said.

BS Badrinath, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the Zawiya University, had a similar story to tell.

“One of the scariest days was February 24. We came to know that the bank would open for a few hours. Since we were running out of cash, we went to bank, which was however, closed. When I was nearly 200 metres away from my house, heavy firing started and people began running for shelter. Even though I was close to my house, I just blanked out and couldn’t remember my way home. I was literally on the street. In the meantime, someone had taken me in his car, and after a lot of confusion, I realised that I was near my friend’s house,” recounted Badrinath.

“The embassy was really helpful and they worked round-the-clock to ensure that we were safe and comfortable. I am so glad to be back,” said a relieved Badrinath.