Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: BJD chief Naveen Patnaik Saturday sought the personal intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the early and safe release of an Odisha resident allegedly abducted by militants in the West African country of Mali.
Patnaik sought Jaishankar’s intervention after the mother of 28-year-old P Venkatraman lodged a complaint at a local police station in Hinjili, Ganjam district.
Venkatraman is a resident of Patnaik’s Assembly constituency from which he has been elected for six consecutive terms since 2000.
Taking to X, Patnaik said: “Concerned to know that Panad Venkat Raman of Hinjilicut block of Ganjam district has been kidnapped by extremists in the African Country Mali. He has remained incommunicado since then, leaving his family in deep agony. Request Union Minister (@MEABharat) Shri @DrSJaishankar to personally intervene in the matter and secure his early and safe release.”
The incident came to light after Venkatraman’s mother P Narasama on Friday lodged a police complaint stating that she had been unable to contact her son, who works at a cement factory in Mali, an official said.
“I am very much worried about the fate of my son. I requested the government for his safe release,” said Narasama, a widow.
“We are closely coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy about the incident and are waiting for their response,” Vishal Gagan, Principal Resident Commissioner of Odisha in New Delhi, told PTI over the phone.
After a social media clip about the alleged abduction surfaced, the Resident Commissioner’s office contacted the Indian Embassy in Mali for urgent action, he added.
Narasama claimed that she last talked with her son over the phone on June 30 and since then his phone has been switched off.
“We are worried about Venkatraman as he might be held hostage by terrorists. The government should take immediate steps for his safe return,” said M Ram Krushna, one of his relatives.
India on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the abduction of three of its nationals in Mali amid a wave of attacks in the West African country.
In a statement in July 2, the MEA said: “The incident occurred on July 1 when a group of armed assailants carried out a coordinated attack at the factory premises and forcibly took three Indian nationals as hostages.”
“The government of India unequivocally condemns this deplorable act of violence and calls upon the government of the Republic of Mali to take all necessary measures to secure the safe and expeditious release of the abducted Indian nationals,” it added.
PTI
