Ranchi, Apr 28 (PTI) The Jharkhand government on Monday said it has intensified efforts to bring back five migrant workers from the state who have been abducted in the West African country of Niger, and was working with the Ministry of External Affairs in the this regard.
The five workers were kidnapped by armed men on April 25, a statement said.
After being informed about the incident, the State Migrant Control Room contacted the company that employed them, it said.
“According to the information, all the workers were working in the Telabari area, 25-30 km away from the company site. It was a complete military operation, in which 26 locals and 12 workers from other countries were involved. 12 people have also been reported dead in this incident,” it added.
The India embassy in Niger is aware of the incident and taking up the matter with the authorities concerned for the safe and early release of the workers, the statement said.
All five workers belong to Dondlo and Mundro villages in Giridih district.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren had on Sunday sought External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s intervention after families of the migrant workers reached out to him.
These workers, identified as Sanjay Mahto, Faljit Mahto, Raju Mahto, Chandrika Mahto and Uttam Mahto, had gone to work with a power transmission company, according to their families.
“We were not able to contact them. Later, we managed to establish contact with the others working there and came to know that the five labourers, along with a local, were kidnapped. We demand their safe return,” said a resident of the Mundro village.
It was not immediately known who was responsible for the alleged abduction of the workers but clashes between the army and terrorists have been reported in a section of Niger.
An attack by armed men in western Niger killed 12 soldiers on Friday in an area near the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, which has long been a hotbed of extremist violence, according to the army. PTI NAM SOM
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