Omar Abdullah seeks centre's intervention in securing release of abducted Indian in Niger

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday sought the Centre's intervention in seeking release of a resident of Ramban district, who was allegedly abducted by terrorists in the West African country of Niger a few days ago.

Abdullah's request to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar comes a day after Rankeet Singh's wife made a fervent appeal for his release.

"Chief Minister has expressed concern over the abduction of Ranjeet Singh, a resident of Ramban, in Niger. He urges the Hon'ble EAM @DrSJaishankar and @MEAIndia to urgently intervene to secure Ranjeet's safe and swift return," Abdullah's office posted on X.

Sheela Devi, Rankeet's wife, on Saturday said that her husband works as a senior safety officer at Transrail Lighting Limited, an integrated power transmission and distribution company, in Niger and the family lost contact with him on July 15.

According to the Indian embassy, two Indians were killed and one abducted following a terrorist attack in southwest Niger.

"In a heinous terror attack on July 15 in Niger's Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives and one was abducted," the embassy said in a social media post on Friday.

According to Niger media, unidentified gunmen attacked an army unit guarding a construction site in Dosso, about 130 kilometres from capital Niamey.

"We talked on WhatsApp on July 15 and since then, I have not been able to contact him. I called his management and was initially told that there is no network at the work site," Sheela Devi said.

She said she learned about her husband's abduction the next day through his friend, even as the management maintained that he had fled deep into the forest following the terror attack.

"It has been four days since then. I believe that there is no effort to secure my husband's release from his captors," the mother of three children, said.

She alleged that her repeated attempts to reach out to the company were being met with cold response.

"I do not know what kind of situation my husband is in. I do not have any idea about the efforts of the local government," Sheela Devi said.

She said she has also met Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan.

"The deputy commissioner said he will do everything in his capacity, but I know the main work is that of our external affairs ministry. If they want, my husband will come home safely," she said.