New Delhi: A 75-year-old Indian-origin diamond merchant held captive in Mali for nearly three months has been released after his family paid a ransom of €4 million (nearly ₹44 crore), according to industry sources and reports from multiple media outlets. Dhiru Ramani was kidnapped in April while overseeing operations at a gold mining project he had recently acquired in the West African country.
Two other Indian nationals – a cook and an electrician who were with him – were also freed.
Ramani, originally from Dhar village in Gujarat’s Amreli district and long associated with the diamond trade in Surat, remains in Mali. He was taken to the capital, Bamako, after his release earlier this week, underwent initial medical checks and is reported to be in stable condition. Local authorities are questioning him about the circumstances of the kidnapping and subsequent release.
The kidnappers initially demanded around ₹100 crore. Ramani’s family members, who live in the United States and are engaged in the international diamond trade, negotiated the sum down and handled the process themselves. No Indian or US government agency was involved in the negotiations, reports citing sources said.
Contact with the family was established only after a period of silence lasting nearly two months. A video call was used to confirm the hostages’ safety before the payment was agreed.
Ramani has been linked to the diamond business since around 1980. He later moved to the United States, where the family expanded its activities. In recent years he diversified into gold mining in Mali and had been living there for some time while supervising the project.
Around the period of the kidnapping, the Indian embassy in Bamako issued a general security advisory on April 25. It urged Indian nationals in Mali to remain highly vigilant, exercise caution, stay indoors where necessary and follow instructions from Malian authorities, citing recent security developments and reported attacks in Kati and other parts of the country. The advisory did not refer to any specific individual.
Mali has faced persistent insecurity from armed groups operating in several regions. The incident underlines the risks faced by foreign businesspeople and investors in parts of the Sahel.
Ramani’s family is preparing for his eventual return once Malian procedures are completed.
Excerpt: Indian-origin diamond merchant Dhiru Ramani freed in Mali after nearly three months in captivity following payment of €4 million ransom by his US-based family.