Indian cement executive abducted by Mali terror group JNIM; family seeks urgent MEA action amid silence and rising fears.
NEW DELHI: When 60-year-old Jaipur-based Prakash Chandra Joshi left for West Africa in early June this year, his family had no reason to believe that the assignment would turn into a nightmare. A seasoned cement industry consultant and General Manager at Diamond Cement Factory in the Kayes region of Mali, Joshi was abducted along with two other Indians and a Chinese national in a coordinated terrorist assault on the morning of 1 July 2025 by members of the terrorist group Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). Since then, his family including his daughter, Chitra Joshi has been struggling with fear, silence, and uncertainty. “My father has worked across the Middle East and Africa for years. This was his first assignment in West Africa. He had only recently joined Diamond Cement in Kayes and was staying in accommodation provided near the factory,” Chitra told The Sunday Guardian.
The attack unfolded around 6:30 a.m. on 1 July, when nearly 100 armed terrorists stormed the Diamond Cement premises and the nearby residential colony for expatriate staff. The attackers opened indiscriminate fire, torched buildings, and seized company vehicles. In the aftermath, three employees including Joshi and two service engineers— were reported missing. The company later informed the family that the men had been abducted by a local terrorist group, JNIM, a known al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Mali. Shockingly, the Joshi family received initial word of the abduction not from Indian government channels, but from the company itself. “On 2 July, I received a WhatsApp message from the HR manager in Hyderabad around 12:30 p.m. UAE time,” Chitra recalled. “He said there had been an attack and that three people, including my father, were missing. A few hours later, he confirmed that my father had been abducted.”
The following day, the family received a formal email from Diamond Cement with further details. Chitra described how her father had stayed in regular touch with the family, speaking frequently despite poor internet connectivity in the Kayes region due to heavy rainfall. “Our last communication was on 29 June. On the 30th, I tried to call and message him but couldn’t get through. On 1 July, his number rang, but he didn’t pick up. I assumed it was just a network issue,” she said. Despite the gravity of the situation, the family says they received no outreach from the Indian government. “No one from MEA contacted us,” Chitra said. “We approached local leaders—Jaipur Member of Parliament Manju Sharma, Commissioner of Police Jaipur, Deputy CM Diya Kumari, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Hanuman Beniwal (MP from Nagaur)—but we didn’t receive any help.” Eventually, it was only Rao Rajendra Singh (BJP MP, Jaipur Rural) who stepped forward. “He and his team helped guide us to the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi. His office has remained in touch and supportive.” The family has also contacted the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Delhi, after being referred by the Indian Embassy in Bamako. Chitra says she submitted all relevant case documents to the ICRC and spoke to officials directly.
Meanwhile, news of the terrorists’ demands has been vague and unconfirmed. “About a week after the abduction, a staff member from Diamond Cement sent us a photo of a local newspaper article from Mali,” Chitra said. “It claimed that JNIM had released a video with their demands, asking the Indian and Chinese governments to negotiate. But the company later told us it wasn’t from a reliable source. To this day, we haven’t been told anything about ransom or negotiations—neither by the company, the embassy, nor the MEA.” The family has also reached out to Diamond Cement Group Director Rohit Motaparti and other staff, but says no substantive updates have been shared. “Their response has been consistent that they are trying to resolve the matter through local authorities and the embassy. But when we ask, they only say there are no positive updates,” Chitra said. She is also in touch with the family of another kidnapped Indian Savya, daughter of Amar - lingeswara Rao from Telangana. “Together, we’re just trying to stay informed and support each other.”
The family members say that their only hope lies with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office to put pressure on the Malian government, military authorities, and Diamond Cement to ensure the safe and swift return of all three Indian nationals. “Time is critical. My father is 60 and on daily medication. He was already weakened because he couldn’t get proper vegetarian food in Mali. I don’t know if he’s getting food or medicine now. We are deeply worried,” Chitra said. In response to The Sunday Guardian’s message seeking comments on the development, Indian Ambassador to Mali, Dr. N. Nandakumar, requested the newspaper to reach out to the External Publicity Division, Ministry of External Affairs.
On 2 July, the MEA had issued a statement expressing its deep concern regarding the abduction of three Indian nationals. It also added that the Embassy of India in Bamako is in close and constant communication with the relevant authorities of the Government of Mali, local law enforcement agencies, as well as the management of Diamond Cement Factory. The Mission is also in touch with the family members of the abducted Indian nationals.
