Government accords 'top priority' to securing release of 6 Indians abducted in Afghanistan: MEA

NEW DELHI: The government has accorded "top priority" to securing the release of six Indians abducted by gunmen in Afghanistan last month and is in touch with all the stakeholders involved, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said here today.

He said there could be a meeting next week between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the family members of the abducted and that dates were being worked out.

"We are according top priority to the problem. We are seized of the matter and the EAM (Swaraj) had also mentioned that this is a sensitive matter.

We are in touch with the Afghan side and other stakeholders," Kumar said, but declined to elaborate further citing the sensitivity of the matter.

On May 6, gunmen kidnapped six Indians working for an infrastructure and electricity company from the Baghlan province of Afghanistan.

A day later, Swaraj called her Afghan counterpart and sought assistance to find the men who were taken away by unidentified kidnappers.

Kumar said Swaraj had offered to meet the kin of those kidnapped next week as she was currently in South Africa on an official visit.

"She (Swaraj) has given them time next week and we are working out a date and time for the meeting," Kumar said.