NEW DELHI: A relative of one of the three Indian nationals abducted by an Al-Qaeda-linked group in Mali has claimed that the kidnappers are demanding ransom for their release. P Venkataraman, a resident of Ganjam district in Odisha, is among the abducted individuals, along with two others from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Venkataraman’s brother-in-law said, “Venkat last called me on June 30. He worked in a cement factory in Mali, West Africa. He said his company had stopped them from going out as terrorists were present. This kidnapping incident happened on July 1.”He added that the company initially informed the family that Venkataraman was in police custody after the factory was set on fire, but later they were told about the abduction and advised not to disclose the information.“We got a call from the company that he and some others are in police custody as terrorists have set the factory on fire. An international news claimed that Al-Qaeda had kidnapped some people. We called the company to confirm this, and they refused us to leak this information and said that the terrorists are demanding ransom in exchange for the people,” he said.Also read: Terror attack in Mali: 3 Indians, including 2 from Telugu states, abducted by al-Qaeda-linked militants; diamond cement factory staff taken hostageThe relative said they waited for a few days before filing a police complaint. “I called and mailed the embassy, but did not get any response. I demand that my brother-in-law be brought back home safely,” he added.Sub-Collector Shibashish Baral said the administration had responded immediately after the family reported the abduction. “It has been informed that the government is taking necessary steps,” he told ANI.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also expressed concern over the July 1 incident. The three Indians were abducted during an armed attack on the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes city, Mali. The factory is owned by the Hyderabad-based Prasaditya Group.In a statement, the MEA said, “It has come to the knowledge of the Government of India that many military and government installations at multiple locations of western and central Mali were attacked by terrorists on July 1.”Condemning the incident, the MEA called the act “deplorable” and said the Indian embassy in Bamako is in “close and constant communication” with Malian authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the management of Diamond Cement Factory. It also confirmed that the embassy is in touch with the families of the abducted workers.Security agencies suspect that the abduction was carried out by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a group affiliated with Al-Qaeda. While no group has officially claimed responsibility yet, intelligence officials in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have confirmed the identities of the abducted men as Amareswar, a service engineer from Miryalaguda (Telangana), and Ramana, a foreman from Andhra Pradesh. The third person is the Odisha-based Venkataraman.Senior officials of the Prasaditya Group have reportedly travelled to Mali and are assisting local authorities in efforts to secure the workers’ release. The company’s chairman, Motaparti Siva Rama Prasad, declined to comment on the matter.