Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 12 Jan: Twenty-two days after the alleged abduction of two officials of the Quippo Oil & Gas Infrastructure Ltd, under the Oil India Ltd (OIL), the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) has claimed responsibility for the abduction on Tuesday.
Drilling Superintendent PK Gogoi (51) of Sivasagar (Assam) and radio operator Ram Kumar were reportedly abducted on 21 December from Diyun circle of Changlang district.
In an interview with the news channel, News Live, ULFA-I commander-in-chief Paresh Buruah claimed that the two officials of OIL are under his custody and that they are well.
Baruah stated that the ULFA-I is in touch with the Oil India company and if the company failed to meet their conditions, their staff “Ram Kumar would be the first victim.”
However, Baruah has given assurance that other employee, PK Gogoi would not be harmed as he is an indigenous man of Assam.
The state police had earlier on said that they suspect the ULFA (I) to be behind the abduction.
Changlang Superintendent of Police Mihin Gambo told The Arunachal Times that there is no confirmation yet regarding the officials being under the custody of ULFA-I.
“There is no confirmation. Search operation is going on,” said SP Mihin Gambo.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pema Khandu also stated that there is no official confirmation about the release of the abducted officials.
Khandu said, “There is no such official information about release of the abducted staff, but we are in coordination with the Indian Army and are monitoring the situation”
An abduction case (No 32/2020 u/s 365/120 B/34 IPC r/w Section 10/13 UAP Act r/w 25 (1b) Arms Act) had been registered at the Diyun police station.
It was informed that the abductors, after picking up the OIL officials from Kumchai Hka, headed towards Balipather village on foot, supposedly towards the Manabhum reserve forest. It is suspected that the motive behind the abduction is ransom.
