Daijiworld Media Network - Karwar

Karwar, Augt 4: A cook hailing from Karwar was among the three foreigners who were kidnapped and gunned down by terrorists at Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday August 2. He has been identified as Patson Rodrigues (39) from Kadawad in this taluk.

Investigators told BBC that the trio was working as cooks for French giant Sodexo, an international food and catering service company. They were kidnapped when on their way to work from their car. Their bodies were found inside the car at Kabul's Mussahi district. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the killings.

Sodexo has confirmed their identities and said it was "saddened and shocked" to learn of the killings.

The other foreigners who were kidnapped and killed were a Malaysian national aged 64, and a Macedonian aged 37.

For the last ten years, Patson Rodrigues was working in Kabul for Sodexo. The 39-year-old’s family has pinned its hopes on Indian Embassy, Kabul and are hoping to get information.

His relative Alex D'Silva told media that Patson used to call his family everyday and even on Thursday morning before leaving work he had called them. After some time, a local media reported that three foreigners were kidnapped and his name was in the list, he added.

Rodrigues was a resident of Christian Colony at Kadawad in Karwar taluk. He used to work as a welder and later obtained a hotel management degree in a college in Goa and was hired by Sodexo to work in Kabul.

His wife and son Presley are staying in Karwar. On May 15, he had visited India and celebrated his wedding anniversary and had returned on May 27.

Afghan security officials who called the residence of Patson toldl his father that all the three who were killed were identified with the help of identity cards found at the spot of crime. Spokesperson of ministry of foreign affairs, Raveesh Kumar, said that the Indian officials are in constant touch with the Indian embassy at Kabul and gathering information. "The central government has directed the Indian embassy at Kabul to work with Afghan officials in ensuring that the body of Indian citizen kidnapped and slain at Kabul is returned to the family," he tweeted. 

The mortal remains of Rodrigues are expected to reach India within four to five days.