Visakhapatnam: The family of Vizag engineer Mangipudi Sai Srinivas, 44, who was kidnapped along with colleague Anish Sharma in Gboko of Nigeria, are hopeful that Sai Srinivas would return safely as kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria.
The family also heaved a sigh of relief as the Ministry of External Affairs has ruled out the hand of Boko Haram terrorists in the kidnapping of Sai Srinivas and his colleague Anish Sharma.
External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj made a phone call to Srinivas's wife M. Lalitha on Friday and said the Boko Haram had no hand in the incident and that some local gangs might have kidnapped them for ransom. The minister also assured Lalitha that they are taking all steps to get to the kidnappers.
“I came to know that the some armed gangs in Nigeria kidnapped two Indians working at the Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko a few months back and released them after taking ransom from the company. So far, the kidnapping gang has not contacted anyone. They may contact the company management shortly,” says Lalitha.
The management of the company has promised to pay ransom to release my husband and we are optimistic that my husband and Anish Sharma would return safely, she added.
Sai Srinivas and Anish Sharma were kidnapped on Wednesday when they were heading towards the cement plant from their residential quarters in Gboko.
Srinivas was working as a civil engineer.
Lalitha said Srinivas and Anish Sharma were travelling in the last car of the three-car convoy. The gang surrounded the vehicle and kidnapped Srinivas and Anish Sharma.
The driver of the vehicle informed about the kidnap incident to the management soon after the incident over phone and the management of the company informed me on Thursday, she added.
Lalitha said that Sushma Swaraj has informed that embassies of both Nigeria and India have been working for the release of the kidnapped Srinivas and Anish Sharma.
