Six Indians abducted in Afghanistan

The Ministry of External Affairs informed on May 6 that six Indian nationals have been abducted by armed men in Afghanistan. A press note issued by the Ministry came hours after the media in Afghanistan reported that the six men were working for an electricity project in Afghanistan, and were taken away by unidentified gunmen.

“We are aware of the abduction of Indian nationals from Baghlan Province in Afghanistan. We are in contact with the Afghan authorities and further details are being ascertained,” said the official spokesperson of the MEA.

Earlier reports in the Afghan media had informed that six Indians and an Afghan employee of Indian company KEC were taken away early on May 6 in Baghlan Province.

Local officials said that the abduction took place in Bagh-e-Shamal village of the Pol-e-Khomri, capital of Baghlan. The company runs an electricity substation in the area and the incident happened when the workers were heading to their work.

No outfit has claimed responsibility for the abduction. In the last five years, a few Indians were abducted in Afghanistan, but most of them were brought back after negotiations with militant groups.

In 2016, Judith D’Souza, an NGO-worker was rescued weeks after she was kidnapped by armed men who reportedly represented a local armed gang.