Odisha youth abducted by Al-Qaeda in Mali says terrorists demanding ransom
The brother-in-law told ANI on Saturday, 'Venkat last called me on June 30. He worked in a cement factory in Mali, West Africa. He said his company had stopped them from going out as terrorists were present. This kidnapping incident happened on July 1.'
Ganjam (Odisha) : Brother in law of P Venkataraman, a resident of Odisha's Ganjam district who is among the three Indians abducted by an al-Qaeda linked terrorist group in West Africa's Mali has said that the terrorists are demanding ransom.
'We got a call from the company that he and some others are in police custody as terrorists have set the factory on fire. An international news claimed that Al-Qaeda had kidnapped some people. We called the company to confirm this, and they refused us to leak this information and said that the terrorists are demanding ransom in exchange for the people,' he said.
'We waited for a few days and then complained to the police. I called and mailed the embassy, but did not get any response. I demand that my brother-in-law be brought back home safely,' Venkataraman's brother-in-law told ANI.
Earlier on Saturday, Sub-Collector Shibashish Baral told ANI, 'Information about the abduction of a person was reported by the kin, and immediately, the local administration reached them. It has been informed that the government is taking necessary steps.'
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has expressed deep concern over the abduction of three Indian workers from a factory in Mali's Kayes region and urged authorities in the West African country to ensure their 'safe and expeditious' rescue.
'It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on July 1,' the MEA said in a statement on Wednesday.
The armed attack took place at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes.
Condemning the incident, the MEA said the Indian embassy in Bamako is in constant contact with local authorities, security agencies, and the families of the abducted workers.
In its statement, the MEA described the act as 'deplorable' and reaffirmed India's strong stand against violence targeting its citizens abroad.
'The Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with the relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, as well as the management of Diamond Cement Factory,' the MEA statement read.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
18 minutes ago
- India.com
Will Nimisha Priya Be Forgiven? Brother Of The Yemeni Man She Was Accused Of Killing Speaks Out
Sanaa/New Delhi: In the capital of Yemen, a woman waits in a prison cell. Her name is Nimisha Priya. She is a nurse from Kerala in India. For years now, she has carried the weight of a death sentence. But on Monday, a flicker of hope arrived. Her execution, originally scheduled for June 16, has been halted, at least for now. She remains behind bars in Sanaa, a city under the control of the Houthi administration. She has been convicted for allegedly murdering her business partner, Talal Abdo Mahdi. The victim's family has broken silence. His brother, Abdel Fateh Mahdi, is speaking publicly for the first time in details about what they believe truly happened between Nimisha and Talal. In an interview with BBC Arabic, he denied every accusation made against his late brother. No abuse. No passport confiscation. No torture. He says these stories are 'false'. Stories that, he believes, were crafted to portray Nimisha as a victim. During a hearing in the Supreme Court of India, Nimisha's legal team painted a different picture. They claimed she had been exploited. They said Talal took all her money. That he beat her. That he held her passport so she could not leave. That he stripped her of dignity and control. But Abdel dismissed it all as 'fabrication'. 'They knew each other. They were business partners. They started a clinic together. Later, they got married. They lived like any other couple for three or four years,' Abdel said. He did not deny that a tragedy occurred. But he rejected the idea that the person convicted for it should be seen as anything but responsible. 'The truth is being twisted. The one who committed the act is being portrayed as the one who suffered,' he said. As for forgiveness? Abdel had no hesitation. He asked for divine justice. 'God's law (blood for blood) must be upheld. Nothing less, nothing more,' he said. Back in India, there is movement behind the scenes. Nimisha's case has drawn attention from powerful figures. According to Indian officials, diplomatic lines have stayed open. There have been repeated talks with Yemen's prosecutors and prison authorities. The execution is on hold, but the sword still hangs. In Kerala, a respected Islamic scholar has stepped in. Grand Mufti A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar is trying to help. He reached out to elders in Yemen. He contacted tribal leaders and clerics. A series of meetings is being held. Members of Talal's family are attending. So are influential people from the community. The goal is to reach an understanding. Maybe, even reconciliation. But the path ahead is uncertain. Nimisha remains in prison. Talal is gone. Two families. Two countries. Two truths. And between them, the long shadow of justice.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
3 threats for Golden Temple on 3rd day; SGPC chief to cops: ‘Wake up'
Amritsar: The committee that manages the Golden Temple on Wednesday received three fresh threat emails warning of an attack at the iconic Sikh shrine, taking the number of such messages to five within just 36 hours and sparking demands for quicker action. The latest threats came even as police were yet to trace the origin of the first email that was sent on Monday. Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said they had obtained some IP addresses, and the content of the emails suggested they had been sent from a south Indian state. "We are ensuring security and there is no need to worry," he added. Bhullar's assurances, however, did not calm down Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami, who asked the police and state govt to "wake up". "We informed the police immediately after receiving the first email, but there has been no concrete response. If such threats don't alarm the govt, what will?" he said. Dhami criticised the silence of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, saying they too had gotten the emails. Citing the deployment of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel around Golden Temple, Dhami called it a deliberate attempt to create fear and reduce the number of people visiting the shrine. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Lợi ích khi giao dịch CFD Bitcoin IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo "It seems like an orchestrated effort to terrorise the sangat (community). If not, then why hasn't the source of the emails been traced yet? Any govt with basic cyber capabilities can trace an IP in an hour," he added. Dhami said they had activated their own cyber teams, but the responsibility lied with the state. "Culprits must be exposed without delay," he added. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring have expressed concern over the threat emails. Badal urged both Punjab and central govts to conduct a thorough investigation into the emails to apprehend the culprits, while Jakhar termed the threats a "symbol of the Punjab govt's failure".
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
HC seeks Centre, Delhi govt.'s response on traffic violations by e-commerce delivery agents
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police to respond to a plea alleging traffic violations by e-commerce delivery riders. A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela ordered the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Delhi Transport Department and Commissioner of Delhi Police to file their replies and posted the matter for hearing on October 8. Advocate Shashank Shri Tripathi in his petition alleged 'widespread, continued and unchecked' violations of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules by delivery partners of quick commerce and e-commerce platforms in the Capital. The counsel for the Delhi government informed the court that the government had already introduced a policy for two-wheelers – the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme, 2023 – and had notified it on November 21, 2023. The scheme aims to license and regulate aggregators operating in the Delhi region. The court then asked the Delhi government to place on record the policy and for the authorities concerned to provide detailed information about the action taken against the violators. The plea alleged that delivery workers employed or contracted by various platforms routinely use two-wheelers to transport 'oversized, bulky and excessively heavy items,' including industrial toolkits, foldable furniture, and commercial-sized delivery boxes. 'These loads often exceed the permissible dimensions and weight limits under Indian traffic regulations, compromise the stability of vehicles, obstruct the vision of riders and endanger public safety,' it said. 'The continued tolerance of these unsafe delivery practices will create a dangerous precedent that encourages other commercial entities to disregard safety regulations, thereby potentially leading to a complete breakdown of vehicular discipline and road safety standards across Delhi and other urban centers, which would result in irreparable harm to public safety and the rule of law,' the petition said. The plea sought directions for framing and implementing binding regulatory guidelines governing delivery operations in the gig economy. Urbanclap Technologies India Pvt. Ltd. (Urban Company), Zomato Ltd., Bundl Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Swiggy), Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd., Instakart Services Pvt. Ltd. (Ekart/Flipkart), Jubilant Foodworks Ltd. (Domino's), Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. (McDonald's), Kiranakart Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Zepto), Innovative Retail Concepts Pvt. Ltd. (Bigbasket) and Smartshift Logistics Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Porter) have been made parties to the case.
