Omar, family of engineer kidnapped in Niger urge Centre to ensure his release

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged the Union government to intervene for the safe release of Ranjeet Singh, an Indian national from Ramban district, who was recently abducted by terrorists in Niger.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chief Minister expressed serious concern over the abduction and appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to ensure Singh’s swift and safe return.

Meanwhile, Ranjeet’s family from Chakkakundi village in Ramban has also pleaded with the Central Government to step up efforts for his early release. They met Deputy Commissioner of Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, who assured them that every possible effort was being made to secure Ranjeet’s freedom from captivity in the West African nation.

Ranjeet’s wife, Sheela Devi, said he was working as a Senior Safety Officer with Transrail Lighting Limited, a power transmission and distribution company. She revealed that Ranjeet had gone missing on July 15, after which the family contacted the company, but received no clear information about his whereabouts.

According to the Indian Embassy in Niger, two Indian nationals were killed and one abducted following a terrorist attack in the Dosso region on July 15. “In a heinous terror attack 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.

Local media reports in Niger stated that unidentified gunmen attacked an army unit guarding a construction site in Dosso, approximately 130 kilometres from the capital, Niamey.

Since his departure to Niger in 2023, Ranjeet had been in regular contact with his family through video calls. He had not returned home during this period and was planning to come back after completing his tenure in six months.

“I last spoke to my husband on July 15. The next day, I came to know about the terrorist attack at his work site. The company did not inform me about the incident; I learned about the abduction through his colleagues. It’s been four days and we have no information about him. My in-laws are elderly and have been in shock since we heard the news,” said Sheela Devi.

Expressing anguish, she added, “I have no idea about the situation there. I don’t know what the local government is doing in Niger. I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Jitendra Singh to help secure Ranjeet’s release.”

Santosh Singh, Ranjeet’s cousin, said the family was informed that Ranjeet was being held inside a forested area by the terrorists, but there had been no direct contact between Niger authorities and the family. “We are praying for his safety and hoping for his early return,” Santosh said.

J & K