Family seeks govt aid after man abducted in Mali

Hyderabad: A 23-year-old man from Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district has been abducted by rebels in Mali, and his family has requested help from the Central and State governments to secure his release.

N Praveen from Banda Somaram village of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, working as a supervisor in a borewell drilling company, was kidnapped on November 23 in the West African nation, the company informed the family. The parents of the victim have appealed the governments to intervene.

Praveen’s family and relatives approached the local police seeking to know his whereabouts. “We also got to know about the incident yesterday from one of his relatives. There is no official report about the kidnapping. We have informed the Embassy authorities in this regard and are awaiting confirmation. We are assisting the family,” a senior police official on Sunday.

Praveen’s brother, Naveen, said his brother had left for Mali in November 2024 and was employed as a supervisor in the borewell drilling company there. “It has been two weeks since the incident. We are distressed. My parents are not able to have food because of this,” he told the media.

According to Praveen’s father, Jangaiah, the company owners have assured the family that his son would be released. They mentioned similar past incidents involving rebels demanding ransom. “When I spoke to him, I had told Praveen to come back home. He said that he would stay there for another two months. We are not able to understand what is happening,” Jangaiah said.