Government in touch with Afghan authorities

Abduction of Indians

New Delhi, May 10: The government is in touch with the Afghan authorities following the abduction of seven Indians in Afghanistan on May 6, a senior official said on Thursday. “At this stage I can share with you that we are in touch with the Afghan authorities in this matter,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries at a media briefing here.

Kumar said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as well as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had telephonic conversations with their counterparts in Afghanistan. “We have requested all possible assistance from them,” he said, adding that this being a sensitive matter, he would not like to share anything more at this time.

The six Indians, along with an Afghan, all employees of Indian company KEC, were abducted on May 6 from Bagh-e-Shamal village in Afghanistan’s Baghlan province. According to local officials, the incident occurred while the employees were travelling to the area where the company has a contract for an electricity sub-station. The Baghlan provincial council linked the incident to the Taliban. (IANS)