Telangana youth kidnapped by Mali rebels: Family appeals government intervention

A young man from Telangana has been abducted by rebels in Mali, creating panic in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district. The 23-year-old, identified as N. Praveen from Bandasomaram village, was reportedly kidnapped on November 23 in the West African nation, where he had been working as a supervisor for a borewell drilling company. His family has urged both the Central and State governments to intervene urgently to secure his release.

According to the family, the company informed them that Praveen and several others were abducted by armed rebels while returning from work. The news has left the family devastated. They approached local police seeking information, but officials said they had not received any official report yet, though diplomatic channels had been alerted. “We are trying to gather details through the family and the company. We are waiting for official confirmation and are providing necessary support to the family,” a senior police officer said.

Praveen’s brother, Naveen, said that he had gone to Mali in November 2024 and had been working there as a supervisor. “The company owners called us and said rebels kidnapped Praveen along with some others. It's been two weeks, and we still have no information. Our parents are unable to eat or sleep,” he said.

Praveen’s father, Jangaiah, said the company assured the family that efforts were underway to secure his release. “We heard that rebel groups in the region have carried out similar kidnappings in the past and demanded ransom. I spoke to my son just a day before the incident. He said he would return home in two months. Now we don’t know what has happened. I request the Prime Minister and the Telangana Chief Minister to save my son,” he pleaded.

The family revealed that Praveen had told them a day before the abduction that he would be working in a remote area with poor network connectivity. “He used to call every day. We never imagined something like this would happen. It has been 14 days. Where is he? Please save our son,” his mother said in tears.

Meanwhile, another similar case has emerged from Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district. A man named K. Ramachandran from Talupula mandal, who was also working as a borewell operator in Mali, has reportedly gone missing. His family said the company informed them that he too was kidnapped by rebels on November 23.

With two incidents reported on the same day, families of Indian workers in Mali are expressing growing concern about the safety of labourers in the conflict-hit region. They have appealed to the Indian government and respective state governments to take immediate action for the safe rescue of the abducted men.