SURAT — A 75-year-old Indian-origin diamond businessman abducted in West Africa three months ago has been safely released after his family paid a ransom of €4 million (roughly ₹44 crore), according to industry sources familiar with the situation.
Dhiru Ramani, originally from Dhar village in Gujarat's Amreli district, was allegedly kidnapped in April shortly after acquiring a gold mine in Mali. Ramani, who has spent over four decades in the international diamond trade, has been living between the United States and Mali.
According to trade sources in Surat, the abductors initially demanded a massive ransom of ₹100 crore. However, Ramani’s US-based family conducted private negotiations, successfully reducing the amount to €4 million before securing his release late last week.
No Indian Agency Involvement
Sources confirmed that the entire negotiation was handled independently by Ramani’s family, without direct involvement from Indian diplomatic or law enforcement agencies.
"He has been released, but he remains in Mali," a Surat-based source stated. "Local authorities are currently questioning him to understand the exact circumstances surrounding his abduction and subsequent release."
Ramani first entered the diamond sector around 1980 in Surat before relocating to the United States, where his family expanded into global diamond trading operations.
Security Environment in Mali
While local officials continue to debrief Ramani, the incident underscores mounting security risks in the region. Around the time of Ramani’s abduction in late April, the Indian Embassy in Bamako had issued a security advisory warning Indian citizens in Mali to remain vigilant following a series of insurgent attacks across Kati and surrounding territories.
Though the April advisory did not mention specific individuals, it urged all residents to restrict non-essential movement, stay indoors when possible, and follow instructions issued by Malian security forces.
Ramani is expected to return to his family in the United States once Malian authorities complete their preliminary inquiry into the kidnapping.
