Bhubaneswar: In a distressing development, it has come to the fore that a 28-year-old man from Odisha, among three Indian nationals, has been abducted by Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Mali, West Africa.
According to reports, P Venkataramana, from Samarajhola village in Ganjam district’s Hinjili block, was employed at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, Republic of Mali, when armed militants launched a coordinated attack on July 1.
Meanwhile, Venkataramana’s mother, P. Narasamma, has filed a written complaint with the Hinjilicut police station, seeking her son’s safe return.
According to the complaint, Venkataramana, son of the late P. Narayana, had been working at Blue Star, a domestic company based in Mumbai, for the past six months. He was deployed by the company to Diamond Cement Company in Mali, West Africa. While working there, he was kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organization, along with two other Indians, two days ago.
After the incident, a Blue Star company official in Mumbai contacted Venkataramana’s family assuring them not to worry. Upon receiving this news, the family immediately tried to call Venkataramana, but his phone was switched off. Soon, Venkataramana’s mother rushed to the Hinjilicut police station and filed a written complaint, appealing for her son’s rescue.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has expressed deep concern over the incident and urged the Malian authorities to ensure the safe and expeditious release of the abducted Indians. The Indian Embassy in Bamako is in close contact with local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the factory management to facilitate their safe return.
