Imphal, November 16 2010: Imphal west police commandos today rescued the official of the Manipur University Engineering Cell kidnapped by PREPAK cadres five days ago with the arrest of two of his kidnappers along with a small arm.

Meanwhile, an assistant agriculture officer of the state agriculture department has been kidnapped by suspected activists of the KCP (MC) on his way to office yesterday.

A team of Imphal west police commandos led by additional SP, Ak Jhaljit rescued Section Officer of MU (Engineering Cell), Thongam Dolal of Khongman Zone-V from a house at Lilong Arapti Chingdong under Irilbung police station of Imphal east this forenoon around 11 am, Imphal west senior SP, L Kailun told reporters at a press briefing in his office chamber this evening.

Two of the kidnappers, PREPAK activists were also nabbed along with a 9 mm pistol loaded with five live rounds, Kailun said identifying the activists as Yumnam Amarjit alias Ibungo (37) son of Ibohal of Arapti Chingdong Leikai and Wahengbam Deban (30) son of Khurai of Arapti Mayai Leikai.

The team rescued the officer without firing a single shot, said the senior SP who termed the operation a well coordinated one and one based on highly confidential information collected by the police in the effort to trace the kidnapped officer.

The team rushed to the area based on specific information of where the official was kept concealed by the kidnappers.

They conducted a cordoned off search operation and found the officer in the area with two of his kidnappers.

On query the officer (Dolan) disclosed that the kidnappers kept him in the hills during the day time under close vigilance of two to three armed persons and was kept in a house nearby the hill in the night.

No harassment of any kind was meted out to during his captivity, he added The kidnappers used an Alto car in the kidnapping of the officer near the gate of MU on November 11 .

The vehicle they used belonged to a worker of the MOBC minister, Md Allauddin.

According to them, the officer was kidnapped by six of them as per instruction from the high command of the outfit when the MU (Engineering Cell) failed to meet their demand of Rs 72 lakh to be cut down from the developmental projects undertaken by the Cell inside the university complex.

As activists of the outfit they were paid Rs 2500 each per month, they added.

Later, police handed over Dolan to his family.

On the other hand, an agricultural officer (AO) of the state agriculture department has been kidnapped by suspected cadres of a faction of the KCP on his way to office yesterday.

The AO identified as Chabungbam Jilla of Lamlai in Imphal east was abducted from Sawombung area at about 10 am yesterday, an official source said.

An official of the department admitted the kidnapping of his junior officer but the reason behind the kidnapping is not yet ascertained.

Office colleagues know of the kidnapping but are not clear whether it was related with a monetary demand from the department or if it was something personal, the officer disclosed hinting that the kidnapping might be related with a monetary demand.

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