Families of three workers abducted by armed men in Mali, West Africa, have submitted petitions to the Thoothukudi district Collector K. Elambahavath, seeking immediate steps to ensure safe release of the men.
The workers have been identified as S. Puthiyavan, 52 from Kodiyankulam P. Ponnuthurai, 41 of Naraikinaru and M. Pechimuthu, 42 from Kalappanpatti.
According to Anthoniyammal, wife of Puthitavan, her husband has been working in Mali for the past eight months. “The last time I heard from my husband was on November 2. On November 7, I received a call from his company informing me that he had been abducted by an armed gang on November 6.”
Other petitions also conveyed the similar information, stating that families are entirely dependent on these men for survival. They added that they were devastated by their abduction and urged the district administration to ensure the immediate and safe release of three abducted workers.
It is noted that a total of five men from Tamil Nadu have been abducted by an armed gang including two others Esakki Raja, 36 and M. Thalapathi Suresh, 26 from Kadayanallur.
Thoothukudi Lok Sabha Member Kanimozhi Karunanidhi in her recent ‘X’ post stated that “The news of five workers from Thoothukudi and Tenkasi, Ponnudurai, Puthiyavan, Isakkiraja, Thalapathi Suresh and Pechimuthu, who were working in Mali, West Africa, have been abducted by an armed group is deeply shocking.”
She urged the Union Ministry of External Affairs to take immediate action, in coordination with the authorities in Mali and local agencies to secure the release of abducted workers and ensure their safe return to India.
Published – November 10, 2025 07:01 pm IST
