Chandigarh, July 27: Divine — not government — intervention is what the families of the three Indian hostages in Iraq are banking on a week after their abduction.

If some are organising puja and constantly praying for the release of their sons, others are sitting on a dharna.

Their desperation has given way to anger at the perceived apathy of the governments of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the Centre.

Foreign minister K. Natwar Singh’s statement that the abductors are “petty criminals” on the lookout for ransom has only invited sneers from the families of Sukhdev Singh, Tilak Raj and Antaryami.

The three truck drivers were kidnapped along with four others from other countries last Wednesday by a group called the Holders of the Black Banner. It threatened to behead one hostage every 72 hours from Monday but later extended the deadline indefinitely.

With no sign of the kidnappers easing their demands, including the ouster from Iraq of the company that employs the truck drivers, the families have turned to god for succour.

Sukhdev’s family at Makraun Kalan in Ropar district of Punjab began an “akhand paath (non-stop recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) at their home today. His relatives had yesterday blocked the road there for three hours protesting against “government apathy”. They alleged that no government official had come to meet them or inform them about the efforts being made by the Centre to secure the release of the hostages.

Today, however, Ropar deputy commissioner Seema Jain visited Sukhdev’s family with a packet containing Rs 15,000 to pacify his relatives.

She assured them that the Centre was making efforts to get Sukhdev and the two others released.

“I just want him back. We can look at some other avenues to repay our debt,” wailed Jaspal Kaur, Sukhdev’s frail mother, as she clutched a picture of her son.

The families of Tilak Raj and Antaryami, too, protested against what they called “official apathy” in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.

Tilak’s 65-year-old mother Kishni Devi sat on a dharna and blocked traffic for two hours. She lamented that her daughter-in-law, Pramila, was unwell.