An Odia youth is among three Indian nationals abducted by a terror group linked to Al-Qaeda in Mali, West Africa, triggering shock and concern in his native village and calls for swift government action.
The victim, P. Venkataraman from Samarajhola village in Hinjilicut, Ganjam district, was employed by Blue Star and had been working at the Diamond Cement Company’s plant in western Mali for the past six months.
According to preliminary reports, Venkataraman was in regular contact with his family until they received a call from his company about his alleged arrest. Soon after, the family learned that he had been kidnapped by terrorists. They have since filed an FIR at Hinjilicut police station, seeking urgent intervention.
On July 1, heavily armed militants affiliated with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group, launched an attack on the Diamond Cement factory and abducted three Indian workers, including Venkataraman. The identities of the other two abductees have not yet been officially disclosed.
The abduction has devastated Venkataraman’s family, prompting his mother to appeal to both the Odisha and Central governments for immediate diplomatic and security measures to secure her son’s release. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned the incident and assured that all diplomatic and security channels are being utilized to rescue the hostages. An MEA spokesperson stated that the Indian government remains in close coordination with Malian authorities and has urged them to act swiftly to locate the abductees and bring the perpetrators to justice.
This incident underscores the growing threat of terrorism in Mali, particularly in the northern and western regions, where foreign nationals—especially those in infrastructure and industrial sectors—are increasingly being targeted. As pressure mounts on diplomatic efforts, families of the victims and civil society members in Odisha anxiously await updates, hoping for the safe return of their loved ones.
