A 35-year-old Indian was abducted by armed men in Congo on June 20. Following the incident, the Embassy of India in Congo has asked all Indians to be on the alert while at the same time staying calm.
“The kidnapped Indian is as of now is safe. He is still in the custody of the kidnappers. Every effort is on to get him released without harm,” the Indian embassy in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, said.
The victim, Ritesh Kishor Hemnani was abducted by a group of armed people who took him away in a car on June 20 around 9 am near the golf course (Golf de Kinshasa).
Though family and friends made attempts to trace Ritesh, they could not establish contact with him and reported the matter to the embassy the same day.
On June 21, Ambassador SK Ashok Warrier, along with two of Ritesh’s friends met the deputy prime minister of Congo, who is also the foreign minister, and briefed him about the incident.
“The minister understood the gravity of the situation and assured that every effort would be made to trace Ritesh,” the embassy said.
In an advisory to all Indians in Congo on June 22, the embassy said, “The fact that this incident happened in broad daylight at an important location in the city is not only rare but understandably a little disturbing. While all efforts are being made to trace Ritesh, all Indian nationals are advised to maintain calm and a low profile and avoid getting into any arguments with anyone. Keep yourself aware of your surroundings and updated of all local happenings and also do not believe in rumours.”
According to Nguma Mobundi Pe Molongi of Kinshasha’s Elisabethville, Ritesh was abducted when he came for an inspection at a construction site.
Nearly 5,000 Indians live in the capital of Congo. In May last year, the Indian community in Kinshasa came under attack after the murder of a Congolese in New Delhi.
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