Gunmen kill 2 Indians and abduct a third in Niger
"In a heinous terror attack on 15 July in Niger's Dosso region, two Indian nationals tragically lost their lives and one was abducted," the Embassy said in a statement on social media platform X on Friday.
According to local media reports, unidentified gunmen attacked an army unit guarding a construction site in Dosso, about 130 kilometres from the capital Niamey.
The Indian Embassy further said it is working with local authorities to repatriate the mortal remains of those killed, and also working to "ensure safe release" of the Indian abducted.
The mission has also advised Indians in the West African nation to remain vigilant.
Ranji Kumar, labour superintendent of Jharkhand's Bokaro district, said on Saturday efforts are on to bring the body of a migrant worker from Jharkhand back.
Ganesh Karmali (39), a resident of Karipani village in Bokaro district, was among the two Indians killed in a cross-firing between police and terrorists on July 15 in Dosso region.
Ranji Kumar said the process to bring his body has been initiated through the state migrant control room.
"The deceased's brother-in-law, who is also employed in Niger, said Karmali's body has been handed over to the Indian Embassy by the company. According to information, formalities are being completed before sending the mortal remains," Kumar told PTI.
Foreign workers are increasingly becoming targets of armed groups in Niger, a West African country.
Several of them have been kidnapped this year, including an Austrian woman who has lived in Niger as an aid worker for more than 20 years, a Swiss woman seized from her home in April and five Indian workers, also in April.
Niger has for many years battled a jihadi insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, June was one of the country's deadliest months on record as IS-backed fighters launched a major offensive across the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, killing more than 100 civilians in what marked a return to mass atrocities in rural areas.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
21 minutes ago
- News18
Kerala prison officer suspended over remarks on notorious convict
Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 27 (PTI) The Kerala Home Department on Sunday suspended a senior prison officer citing gross indiscipline over some of his revelations in connection with a notorious convict, who escaped from the Kannur central prison two days ago and was caught later. Abdul Sathar I, who was serving as a Deputy Prison Officer at the special sub-jail in Kottarakara, was suspended from the service with immediate effect by the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, according to a government order. The copy of the order was issued to the media by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). In the order, it was mentioned that the officer, while talking to a Malayalam television channel recently, said that Govindachamy, alias Govindaswamy (41), who escaped from Kannur Central Jail on Friday, had declared much before that he would jump the prison. The officer claimed that the notorious convict, serving a life term in the sensational 2011 Soumya murder case, had threatened to rape his family members if he escaped from the jail. During the TV interview, the jail official further said that it was better that Govindachamy be killed and if there was no executioner, he himself was ready to become the hangman. The order pointed out that at a time when negative reports galore against the department, the statements of the particular officer have put it in more trouble and amounted to demoralise other officials. The statements were in violation of various provisions of the government officials' service rules and a circular in connection with prison rules. Stating that the official was already facing probe over some other issues, the order also made it clear that his actions were gross breach of discipline. Govindachamy escaped from Kannur Central Jail on July 25 between 4.15 am and 6.30 am and was recaptured within city limits at around 9.30 am. He was shifted to Viyyur Central Jail in Thrissur on July 26 following the incident. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday ordered a comprehensive investigation into the jailbreak from Kannur Central Prison by Govindachamy. A 23-year-old woman from Manjakkad near Shornur, was raped and murdered by Govindachamy while travelling on a passenger train from Ernakulam to Shornur on February 1, 2011. He was later convicted in the case. PTI LGK KH view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 21:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Who is Trisha Chatterjee? Indian-origin immigration lawyer who said ICE gave her Taco Bell number during client crisis — watch video
Trisha Chatterjee (Picture source: LinkedIn) Trisha Chatterjee, an Indian-origin immigration lawyer in Ohio, has alleged she was given the number of a Taco Bell outlet when she called ICE for urgent client support. Chatterjee posted about the incident on TikTok, where it went viral and ultimately led to help from another ICE official. But she says the larger issue lack of clear access to immigration authorities continues to cause serious harm to her clients. "I called and they answered and they said, 'Hello, Taco Bell?' And I said, 'Taco Bell?' And the guy who was working said, 'Yeah, Taco Bell. Ma'am, you called me," Chatterjee recalled. "I was in such disbelief," she said. "So, I called the ICE officer back, just really frustrated with what had just happened. He says, 'Oh, I'm sorry. I was trying to lighten the mood and make you laugh.'" ICE has denied the accusation. Homeland security called it a 'lie and a smear.' Chatterjee stood by her version of events. Who is Trisha Chatterjee? Trisha Chatterjee is an Indian-origin immigration lawyer based in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University in 2020 and the University of Dayton School of Law in 2023. She works with the law office of Emily Feliz Garcia, a small immigration firm in Springdale. Before this, she worked at Abdallah law offices. For the last two years, she has handled immigration cases, especially those involving clients detained at the Butler County Jail in Ohio, which has a contract with ICE. Chatterjee was trying to submit "stay of removal" applications—urgent paperwork that can pause deportation for clients with pending immigration cases. ICE requires these to be submitted in person at the Detroit field office, but she hoped to file them locally in Blue Ash. After being unable to reach anyone by phone or email, she finally spoke to an ICE officer who gave her a phone number that turned out to be for Taco Bell. When she called back, the officer reportedly said he was trying to make her laugh. She posted a video about the incident on TikTok, which gained over 38,000 views. Many users sympathised, and one even helped her connect with a helpful ICE official in Blue Ash, who is now assisting her. Chatterjee said the larger problem is the lack of access and communication with ICE. She also highlighted how a stricter bond policy is making it harder for immigrants to stay out of detention during legal proceedings. Bonds can cost up to $50,000 and must be paid upfront. According to Chatterjee, some clients are abandoning their asylum cases or choosing to self-deport out of fear. She mentioned recent local arrests of people attending ICE check-ins, which has only deepened anxiety in immigrant communities.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fertility scam busted: 8 held in baby-selling scam in Hyderabad; clinic run by mother-son duo
Representative image NEW DELHI: An illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket operating out of a fertility clinic in Hyderabad was busted Sunday, leading to the arrest of eight individuals, including the clinic's owner and fertility specialist, Dr A Namratha. A detailed investigation revealed that Namratha, 64, was running a large-scale scam through clinics located in Vijayawada, Secunderabad, Visakhapatnam, and Kondapur. She allegedly collected between Rs 20–30 lakh from each client under false pretenses, police said. Police further disclosed that Namratha's son, an advocate by profession, managed the clinic's financial operations from the same premises. He also reportedly intimidated clients who raised objections. Authorities, as cited by PTI, added that over 10 previous cases had been registered against the accused at various police stations across Andhra Pradesh. Despite the medical and health department cancelling the clinic's registration earlier, it continued operations using the name of another certified doctor on official documents. The clinic at Gopalapuram in Hyderabad was sealed with assistance from the medical department. The racket resurfaced after a couple, who believed their child was born through surrogacy, discovered through a DNA test that the baby was not biologically theirs. Alarmed, the couple approached the police. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone–Hyderabad) S Rashmi Perumal told PTI that Dr Namratha, along with her associates and agents, targeted vulnerable women—particularly those seeking abortions—and persuaded them to continue their pregnancies in exchange for money or other inducements. These newborns were then passed off as surrogate babies, misleading clients into believing they were their biological children. According to the police, the victim couple had approached Namratha's clinic in August 2024 for fertility and IVF consultation. After initial tests, they were advised to opt for surrogacy. They were then referred to the clinic's Visakhapatnam branch for specimen collection and were told the clinic would arrange a surrogate and handle the embryo transplant. Over the course of nine months, the couple made several payments totaling more than Rs 35 lakh. In June 2025, they were informed that a baby boy had been delivered via C-section in Visakhapatnam. The child was handed over to them along with documentation falsely listing them as the biological parents. "The baby was not shown as a child born to a surrogate, which drew their suspicion. Later, the couple went in for DNA test which revealed that the child's DNA did not match theirs," said Rashmi. When the couple sought clarification from the clinic, they were denied documentation and threatened, prompting them to file a police complaint. In the current case, police traced the baby's biological parents, originally from Assam and residing in Hyderabad, through agents. They had reportedly been paid a small amount after giving up the child. Both were arrested on charges of baby selling, and the infant has been handed over to 'Shishu Vihar' as per protocol. Dismissing certain media reports, Rashmi clarified, "It is a case wherein the victim couple were told that they were going in for surrogacy, but in reality the baby was sold by the original parents and that the baby was shown to this complainant couple (by the accused) as their child. But when they did the DNA test it was revealed as not matching with theirs." She also refuted claims that the child had cancer or that donor sperm had been used, reported PTI. The investigation remains underway, and additional legal action is being taken.
