IMPHAL, August 13: The two abducted Assistant Officers of the state Horticulture department have been released by their captors, suspected to be cadres of KRA (U) faction, at a place near Kangatongbi this afternoon at around 3.30 pm.
Speaking to the media at his residence, W Ibopishak, a resident of Nongmeibung Wangkheirakpam Leikai, posted as AO at the Horticulture office at Senapati, said that he along with M Priyogopal who is also an AO posted at the same office were abducted by three unknown armed Kuki youths when they were retuning back from office on August 8 evening.
He said on that fateful day they were returning home on a Chevrolet Spark car driven by M Priyogopal, when suddenly three unknown Kuki youths stopped them at gunpoint at a place near Koubrouleikha.
The three unknown armed Kuki youths later get in their car and took the seats at the back and asked them to turn the car backward, he said.
He further said after driving for some time, they were taken to an isolated place at a hillock and made to stop the car. From there, both of them were blind folded by their abductors and were taken to a hilly place on foot.
After walking for many hours they reached an isolated place where they were kept in a hut built at a corn farm, he said.
When the two officers asked their abductors the reason behind the abduction and which militant outfit they belong, the abductors replied that the Horticulture department is doing no good in Kuki inhabited areas of the state and so they need to speak with the higher officials of the said department, he said.
They were moved from one place to another in the hill areas to avoid raids by security forces, he said.
They were kept at a hill top for two days but M Priyokumar, who is a diabetic patient, fell sick and his health condition deteriorated so they were brought down from the hill top yesterday at around 3.30 pm, he said.
After walking for many hours they reached an unknown Kuki village in the evening and stayed the night there, he recounted.
On their way to the village, a conversation took place between the two officers and their abductors during which one of one of them said that they are KRA (U) cadres, W Ibopishak said.
At midnight, the two officers were awakened by their captors and were taken to an isolated area again, he said.
Today at around 3.30 pm, they were released by their captors at a place near Kanglatongbi saying they have been released considering the hardship faced by their families, he said.
Their captors hired an autorickshaw and the autorickshaw brought them to Kanglatongbi where the two officers were received by their family members.
Media persons also went to meet M Priyokumar at his residence at Yaiskhul Janmasthan. However, due to his deteriorating health condition, he could not meet the media persons.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minster Gaikhangam said that the abductors are factions of KRA (U) according to information received by the police.
Addressing the media at a press conference at Congress Bhavan today evening, he further said that it is very unfortunate that government officials who are posted at hill areas are often abducted by armed men and being used to place their demands.
The Deputy Chief Minister gave his assurance that strong action will be taken up against such crimes. If the cadres belong to SoO signed UG outfits, the matter will be taken up with the Joint Monitoring Group, he said.
He added that such kind of illegal activities will defer the steps taken up by the government for development.