Indian kidnapped in mali: The BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure a quick and safe return of 28 -year -old P. Venkataraman of Ganjam district who went missing in Mali. The young man worked in the Diamond Cement Factory in Mali, where he is missing after an armed attack on 1 July. The family has lodged a complaint with the local police and no information has been received so far.
Naveen Patnaik’s letter to the central government
Naveen Patnaik wrote on the social media platform X that Venkataraman is from Samarajhol village of Hinjilikat block in Ganjam district. He has been abducted by militants in Mali and has not been in contact with the family since then. He gave Foreign Minister S.K. Appealed to Jaishankar to make personal intervention in this matter.
Foreign Ministry and Embassy Confirmation
The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that three Indians have been kidnapped in an attack on the Diamond Cement Factory located in Kayes city of Mali. The Indian Embassy is in touch with local authorities and factory management in Bamako. Venkataraman was working there since November 2023.
Family complaint, fears of terrorist link
Venkataraman’s mother P. Narasamma has complained to the Hinjili police station. Initially, the company had told that their son is in police custody, but later reports came that he was abducted by militants. The factory is under the Prasadayan Group of Hyderabad and the company officials are also cooperating in the investigation in Mali. Security agencies suspect that Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam Val Musicen (JNIM) may be a hand in the attack, which is a group associated with al-Qaeda. So far no organization has taken responsibility nor any demand has come up. Venkataraman’s family is worried since the incident.