Two of 7 abducted set free, protest continues
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2013: Out of seven persons abducted by unknown gunmen from an Imphal East district area on August 1, two have been released by the captors safe and sound.

The released duo namely Abhijit Sinha (53) and his nephew Devjit Sinha (25), both from Kalighat in Kolkata, were reportedly brought in a Jeep by their armed abductors to a rural area from where they took an autorickshaw and reached here at around 7.45 am today.

Speaking to newspersons at an Imphal area abhijit said the incident seemed to be a case of either mistaken identity or compulsion as the captors' actual intention seemed to be taking into custody the IFCD officials with whom they were travelling together after an inspection visit to the Dolaithabi barrage project.

Informing that they went to the project site to assess the canal component of the barrage as representatives of Ms RM Sinha & Company construction agency, he said the abductors frequently changed their locations to confine all seven captives in a hilly terrain.

Further stating that none of the captives were threatened or abused by the captors, the senior Sinha said the armed gunmen treated them with full hospitality.

Opining that decision to release him and his nephew might have after realisation that they were company representatives and had nothing to do with the abductors' differences with the IFCD, Abhijit also conceded he has no idea on the demand, if any, or enmity the armed persons have against the IFCD.

He, nevertheless, appealed to the abductors to have the same sympathy for the remaining five and release them at the earliest.

It may be mentioned that Abhijit and Devjit were part of a seven-person inspection team that went to Dolaithabi Barrage site in two vehicles on August 1 .

They were waylaid and abducted by heavily armed unknown persons at near Pukhao Cherapur while returning back the same afternoon.

Those still in the custody of the captors, till the time of filing this report, include two engineers of IFCD, a contractor and two drivers.

Meanwhile, a sit-in-protest staged today at Thangmeiband Lilashing Khongnangkhong appealed for safe and immediate release of the abducted persons.

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of the protest demonstration organised by Thangmeiband Improvement Club today, Jayaluxmi, wife of the abducted IFCD Engineer N Karunacharja Singh expressed deep resentment that her husband and associates had been taken into custody by unidentified armed persons while in the line of duty.

Appealing to the captors for safe and early release of all the captives, she also desired that Government of Manipur take appropriate measures to resolve the issue without further delay.

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