THOOTHUKUDI: Among the five Tamil labourers who were held captive by armed rebel groups in Mali, a West African country, one has allegedly died, while the remaining four have been released following diplomatic efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), after nearly five months in captivity.
Four of the five men, who were working for a private company engaged in electrical works, returned to their homes on March 14. Family members of the deceased, M Petchimuthu of Kalappaipatti, have raised suspicions over his death, alleging foul play and petitioned the district collector K Elambahavath on Monday.
According to sources, the victims, P Ponnudurai (41) of Naraikinaru, S Puthiyavan (52) of Kodiyankulam, and M Petchimuthu (42) of Kalappaipatti in Thoothukudi district, along with Esakkiraja (36) and Thalapathy Suresh (26) from Kadayanallur in Tenkasi district, were allegedly held captive by members of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State terror outfits on November 6 at Kobri in Mali. The four men, working for a private company engaged in electrical works, returned to their homes on March 14.
However, the family members of Petchimuthu said the employer informed them on March 14 that he had died of malaria while in captivity.
According to relatives, the workers who returned home told them that they were asked by the captors to perform last rites for Petchimuthu as per Tamil traditions on March 5, before being sent back, and the group had cremated the body.
The family members, shocked by the development, have demanded a high-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Velayutham, a relative of Petchimuthu, alleged that neither the private employer nor the MEA had provided any concrete proof of his death. “If he has died, the government should officially confirm it and take steps to bring back the body,” he said. Petchimuthu is survived by his wife and two sons.
Another relative, Arumugasamy, claimed that Petchimuthu’s passport had expired in January 2026 while he was still in captivity. “The passport returned by the employer to the family does not show any record of him travelling to Mali. However, it was punched,” he added.
Petchimuthu’s wife, P Kaliammal, also questioned the employer’s claim that her husband died of malaria. “The workers who returned said he was in good health. Their statements contradict what the employer has said,” she alleged, demanding a thorough investigation.
On Monday, family members requested the state government for clarity and Rs 1 crore aid. A senior revenue official told TNIE that the allegations would be looked into.