Jaipur man among 3 Indians abducted in Mali terror attack

Jaipur: A 61-year-old Jaipur resident working at a cement factory in the West African nation of Mali went missing after being abducted during a coordinated terrorist attack on July 1.The victim, Prakash Chandra Joshi, a resident of Akshardham Chauraha in Vaishali Nagar, joined the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes city of Mali on June 5. His family said they were informed of the abduction by company officials and have since reached out to the Indian Embassy in Mali and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi.In a statement issued on July 2, MEA expressed deep concern over the abduction of three Indian nationals employed at the cement factory and confirmed that multiple military and govt facilities across western and central Mali were targeted in the July 1 terror attack."The Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, and the management of the Diamond Cement Factory. The Mission is also in touch with the families of the abducted Indian nationals," the MEA said.MEA also said that the senior ministry officials are closely monitoring the evolving situation and remain engaged at various levels to facilitate the safe and early release of Indian nationals.Family members said they were worried about the safety of Joshi ever since the incident came to their notice. They added that they were informed about the matter by the factory officials about the attack.Besides Joshi, two other factory workers are also suspected to have been abducted by the suspects during the terrorist attack. With their patience running thin, the family has been meeting with their local MPs and said that they want Joshi to be evacuated as soon as possible.