Jaipur Man Abducted by Mali Terror Group

Three Indians abducted in Mali terror attack; families helpless.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

When 60-year-old Jaipur-based Prakash Chandra Joshi left for West Africa in early June this year, his family had no reason to believe that the assignment would turn into a nightmare. A seasoned cement industry consultant and General Manager at Diamond Cement Factory in the Kayes region of Mali, Joshi was abducted along with two other Indians and a Chinese national in a coordinated terrorist assault on the morning of July 1, 2025 by members of the terrorist group Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).

Since then, his family—including his daughter, Chitra Joshi—has been struggling with fear, silence, and uncertainty.

"My father has worked across the Middle East and Africa for years. This was his first assignment in West Africa. He had only recently joined Diamond Cement in Kayes and was staying in accommodation provided near the factory," Chitra told The Sunday Guardian.

The attack unfolded around 6:30 a.m. on July 1, when nearly 100 armed terrorists stormed the Diamond Cement premises and the nearby residential colony for expatriate staff. The attackers opened indiscriminate fire, torched buildings, and seized company vehicles.

In the aftermath, three employees—including Joshi and two service engineers—were reported missing.

The company later informed the family that the men had been abducted by a local terrorist group, JNIM, a known al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Mali.