Families on Edge as Indian Nationals Remain Missing After Mali Kidnapping

Relatives of three Indian men abducted in Mali express distress as weeks pass without news, amidst wider security fears tied to regional terrorism.

A week following the abduction of three Indians in Mali, families of the kidnapped men are filled with anxiety and desperation for updates on their safety. India’s foreign ministry confirmed the men, who were employed at a local cement factory, were taken by armed assailants last Tuesday. Despite reaching out to local authorities, the Mali government has yet to provide a statement regarding the incident.

This alarming event coincides with claims from the al-Qaeda affiliated group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), which reported conducting several violent attacks across Mali the same day. Government data reveals there are approximately 400 Indians residing within Mali, which has maintained trade relations with India since the 1990s. This incident follows a similar distressing event in April, when five Indian citizens were kidnapped in neighboring Niger amid a violent armed assault that also claimed the lives of soldiers.

Mali, a country plagued by violence and insecurity stemming from an ongoing insurgency linked to both al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS), is considered a significant threat to global safety. The Global Terrorism Index referred to the Sahel region—including Mali—as the "epicenter of global terrorism," accounting for more than half of all terror-related deaths.

In light of recent developments, India's foreign ministry has urged its citizens in Mali to remain vigilant and in communication with the Indian embassy in Bamako. The kidnapped men were reportedly seized from the Diamond Cement Factory, which is operated by the Prasaditya Group, a major Indian business. Despite this, the company has not commented publicly on the situation as calls from the media go unanswered.

A local resident from Kayes, where the cement facility is based, recounted hearing gunfire pervasive throughout the area during the assault, stirring fear within the local Indian community. Family members of the kidnapped men have expressed feelings of panic and helplessness.

The mother of Panad Venkatramana, one of the kidnapped workers, shared her last conversation with her son when he informed her he was heading to work. Shortly thereafter, she received a confusing call from the company and later learned through media that her son had been kidnapped. Venkatramana's family has since filed a police complaint for assistance in locating him, gaining the support of political figures, including former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who called for urgent action from Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

Meanwhile, the families of Amaralingaeswara Rao, another abducted man, are anxiously waiting for news about his return home. Rao’s father, Koorakula Venkateswarlu, narrated his son’s sacrifices for the family, noting his previous plans to return to India soon.

As concerns mount and families await further developments, the Indian government pledges to maintain contact with both Malian authorities and relatives of the kidnapped individuals, yet uncertainty continues to loom over the fate of the missing men.