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Key Points:
A coordinated effort between the Government of Niger and the Government of India led to the successful release of five migrant workers from Jharkhand, abducted eight months ago by armed militants in Niger. The Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Embassy in Niamey and employer KTPL conducted dialogues and negotiations.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren requested the External Affairs Ministry to engage in international diplomacy and direct coordination for the workers’ safe return. The Jharkhand government also supported the families through social security schemes and regular salary deposits.
The released workers are safe and have established contact with Indian officials, according to the Jharkhand State Migrant Control Room. Arrangements are being made for their safe return after completion of formal medical necessities and other required procedures.
A productive coordination between the Government of Niger and the Government of India led to the successful release of five migrant workers from Jharkhand, who were abducted eight months ago by armed militants in Niger. The Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Embassy in Niger’s capital Niamey and Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KTPL, the employer) worked in tandem to conduct dialogues and negotiations that followed the optimistic results aforementioned. The workers were working at a power project site at Niger, when armed militants opened fire at the site, and forcefully apprehended some of the workers who were trying to flee the site.
The migrants, Sanjay Mahto, Raju Mahto, Chandrika Mahto, Faljit Mahto and Uttam Mahto, all belonging to Giridih, Jharkhand, are safe and have established contact with Indian officials. The Jharkhand State Migrant Control Room (SMCR) has stated that arrangements are being made for their safe and successful return, upon the completion of formal medical necessities and other procedures.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took important notice of the incident, and requested the External Affairs Ministry to engage in international diplomacy to diffuse the situation, and ensure the safe return of the workers. He directed the SMRC to coordinate with the company, KTPL, the Protector of Emigrants under the MEA, and the Indian Embassy in Niamey for their safe release and return.
The incident occurred on April 25, 2025. While taking a break from their work and having lunch, the group of armed militants suddenly launched an unprecedented assault at them, forcing several to run to their safety. Many of the workers tried to escape in a company bus, but it got stuck in the sand. Mojilal Mahto, one of the survivors, informed in an earlier report to the Indian Express in May 2025, that they were being pursued by around 70-80 motorcycles, all of them carrying guns.
Mojilal Mahto also told in the interview that the firing continued for over one hour, and many of them miraculously escaped by slipping into nearby sewage lines; but Sanjay Mahto, Raju Mahto, Chandrika Mahto, Faljit Mahto and Uttam Mahto were not able to escape and subsequently captured by the militants. A Niger local, Adam, was also captured along with them, he added.
Although the reason for the assault and abduction was not initially linked with any armed or extremist group, Niger has been dealing with insurgency at a significantly exponential level. According to international media reports, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have been fighting jihadist insurgency linked to terrorist organisations such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. However, Niger officials confirmed the incident as part of a broader militant operation that targeted several other locations, and took many foreign workers and local citizens hostage.
The families of the captured workers were immensely concerned during their captivity period, and the state government of Jharkhand kept in contact with them, informing about necessary updates. The Jharkhand Government also ensured that the families would be provided with the benefits of various social security schemes through the Giridih district administration. The financial benefits included coverage under Ayushman Bharat health cards, MGNREGA job cards, Jal Jeevan Mission tap connections and Ujjwala connections among others. The Jharkhand government had also instructed to regularly deposit the salaries of workers’ in their bank accounts.
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