Lok Sabha Question No. 5210 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Indians Kidnapped Abroad
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: LAXMAN GILUWA, VINCENT H PALA, SURESH KODIKUNNIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5210 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2017

## INDIANS KIDNAPPED ABROAD

5210. SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA: SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  incidents  of  Indians  being  taken  as  hostage  by  various organizations in foreign countries have come to light;
- (b) if so, the country-wise details of the last two years in this regard;
- (c) the efforts made by the Government to facilitate the release of Indian hostages;
- (d)     the  number  of  Indians  taken  as  hostage  and  then  got  rescued  as result of the efforts made by the Government; and
- (e)     the  names  of  the  countries  from  where  the  said  hostage  were rescued?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (e) As  per  the  information  available  with  the  Ministry,  27  Indian nationals were kidnapped during 2015, 2016 and 2017 (till date) in foreign countries  and  25  of  them  have  been  released  and  1  died.    One  Indian national continues to be in captivity in Yemen since 2016.   A list showing country-wise details is attached at Annexure.

The safety and security of Indian nationals in foreign countries is a matter of foremost concern for the Government of India. The Government keeps  a  close  watch  on  the  situation  in  strife-torn  countries,  issues advisories wherever required and engages the local authorities regularly to prevent incidents of kidnapping, while simultaneously making every effort to secure the release of those in captivity.

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## ANNEXURE

| Sl. No.   | Name of Country     | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   | The number of Indians kidnapped in foreign countries during the last two years and rescued by the efforts of Government during the last two years and current year   |
|-----------|---------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|           |                     | 2015                                                                                                                                                                 | 2015                                                                                                                                                                 | 2016                                                                                                                                                                 | 2016                                                                                                                                                                 | 2017                                                                                                                                                                 | 2017                                                                                                                                                                 |
|           |                     | Kidnapped                                                                                                                                                            | Released                                                                                                                                                             | Kidnapped                                                                                                                                                            | Released                                                                                                                                                             | Kidnapped                                                                                                                                                            | Released                                                                                                                                                             |
| 1         | Afghanistan         | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 1*                                                                                                                                                                   | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 2         | Libya               | 6                                                                                                                                                                    | 6                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 3         | Nigeria             | 5                                                                                                                                                                    | 5                                                                                                                                                                    | 5                                                                                                                                                                    | 5                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 4         | Philippines         | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 1#                                                                                                                                                                   | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 5         | Senegal             | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 6         | South Sudan         | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 7         | Thailand            | 2                                                                                                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 8         | Turkey              | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                                                                                    | 2                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 9         | Yemen (Republic of) | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    | 0                                                                                                                                                                    |
|           | Total               | 14                                                                                                                                                                   | 15                                                                                                                                                                   | 9                                                                                                                                                                    | 8                                                                                                                                                                    | 4                                                                                                                                                                    | 4                                                                                                                                                                    |

* One Indian national who was kidnapped on 2 June 2014 was released safely on 22 February 2015. # died in captivity.

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