SoO signatory KRA/KLA behind abduction
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 05 2013:
Kuki Revolutionary Army/Kuki Liberation Army (KRA/KLA), which is signatory to the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the State and Central Governments, has been found to be behind the abduction of seven persons including four engineers with two from State IFCD.
After three days of captivity, all the seven abducted individuals were released and they managed to reach their homes safe and sound yesterday.
They are Superintending Engineer (Irrigation Circle no.II) of IFCS Nandeibam Karunacharya of Thangmeiband Lilasing Khongnangkhong; Executive Engineer (EE) of IFCD Naorem Surchandra of Uripok Polem Leikai; their drivers L Sharatchandra (Maruti Gypsy MN 01K 3263) of Lalambung and L Ibobi (Maruti Gypsy MN 01K 9999); two engineers of the Kolkata- based M/s RM Sinha & Co Devjit Sinha and Abhijit Sinha and Contractor Sanayaima Sharma of Nagamapal Singjubung Leirak.
Recounting their ordeal to media, one of the individuals (on condition of anomynity), informed that an official team of IFC Department, Govt of Manipur along with two Engineers from Kolkata went for an inspection visit to Dolaithabi Project in Imphal East district at around 1 pm on August 1.While returning after the inspection, the team was stopped by heavily armed UG cadres numbering around seven of them, who were already waiting in a van, at a spot just around 500/600 metres from Dolaithabi Project.
After stopping the vehicles in which the IFCD officials were travelling, the armed UG cadres rushed in and snatched away the keys of the vehicles.
The armed cadres also forced all the officials to step down from their respective vehicles and made the two Engineers from Kolkata to climb into the van brought by the armed cadres.
The other officials were later made to sit in their respective vehicles again.
From there, they were driven along Saikul and made to stay in a house where they were served tea.
The armed UG cadres told them that the place is a KRA/KLA stronghold area.
They have been abducted to have talks with higher officials of IFCD and no harm will be done to them.
He went on to inform that on the second day of the abduction, they were made to climb up the hill and made to spend the night in a hut atop the hill.
The next and third day of the abduction, they were again taken to another place on foot.
The place was a big camp and they were allowed to move out of their rooms.
The two Engineers from Kolkta were detained in the camp and the remaining five of them were taken to yet another camp.
The armed UG cadres in the second camp told them that they were cadres of KRA/KLA and informed that the two Engineers from Kolkata have already reached Imphal and they (the remaining officials) would also be released as soon as an order from the higher authority arrived, he added.
He further recalled that after being released yesterday, they were driven back to Imphal in a jeep.
On their way back to Imphal along Imphal-Ukhrul road, they were frisked by Manipur Police Commandos.
The commandos just let them passed after asking who they were and where they were going.
The driver of the vehicle in which they were travelling told the police commandos that he was the village Chief and they were on their way in connection with some works of the local MLA.
They finally reached home in the wee hours today.
He further condemned the attitude of the police commandos who frisked them on their way to Imphal but did not care to identify them despite the news of their abduction flashed in the newspapers.
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