IMPHAL, August 3: The fates of the seven including two engineers of the IFCD, their drivers and two other officials of a Kolkata based company allegedly kidnapped by suspected armed militants on August 1 around 5:15pm remain unknown and remain traceless till today.
The seven kidnapped individuals are IFCD SE, Irrigation Circle No II N Karunacharya Singh; EE, Irrigation Circle No II, N Surchandra Singh; their drivers L Sharatchandra Singh (Maruti Gypsy MN 01K 3263) and L Ibobi Singh (Maruti Gypsy MN 01K 9999); two representatives of the Kolkata base firm m/s RM Sinha & Co Devjit Sinha and Abhijit Sinha and a contractor Sanayaima Sharma.
Speaking to IFP at his Khoyathong office chambers, a visibly distraught Chief Engineer of the department, Th Indramani Singh said there has been no information on the seven who were kidnapped from Dolaithabi while returning from a site visit by unidentified miscreants on August 1.
He said that there is also no communication from those behind the kidnapping so far.
Soon after receiving reports about the grievous incident, he had reported the incident to the state DGP, he said and further lamented that the incident was really unfortunate.
Th Indramani further said he is in touch with the Minister of the concerned department and was discussing the incident at length.
Continuing further, the CE said he has already met with the Minister twice, and has already apprised the Minister who is the sole custodian of the dept from his side as to what steps need to be taken up at the earliest to ensure the safe release of the seven.
However, the Minister has not sorted out any policy or action to be taken up as of now in connection with the incident, he added.
When asked if the abduction could have been carried out by hills based UG groups in connection with ransom money and if there had been any monetary demand on the department or the two Engineers kidnapped, the CE replied that there has been no monetary demands made on the abducted engineers or their associates or to the department.
Soon after the seven persons were allegedly abducted, the CE’s two mobile phone, ten mobiles phones of other official staffs of the dept along with the landline telephone of the office have been kept on all the time so as to accommodate any effort from the kidnappers for communication, nonetheless, there has been no communication.
Moreover, with family members of the abducted persons including of those two officials from Kolkata inquiring about the incident, the pressure has increased tremendously, he said.
He said, he was just about to go meet the family members of all abducted persons.
Furthermore, when asked about the particular oufit which have allegedly kidnapped the seven persons, the chief engineer hinted that it might be one of the ‘’Kuki UG groups’’ based in hills.
Meanwhile, reliable sources have informed IFP that the armed kidnappers who were altogether five in number seemed to have been laying in wait of the team.
Of the five, three spoke Kuki dialects and all of them had mobiles phones and weapons including big and small guns, informed the source.
The two representatives of the Kolkata based firm who were among those kidnapped after arriving at the Imphal Airport had directly left for Dolaithabi Barrage site along with the engineers on two Maruti Gypsy around 1pm.
The company is engaged in the construction of the Iron Gate for the Dolaithabi Barrage, informed the source.
The team was waylaid by five persons just about a Km from the construction site during their return journey and made to alight from their vehicles and talk, informed the source.
They were then taken away in their Maruti Gpsy and another vehicle on which the kidnappers had come, said the source.
Soon on receiving information about the officials kidnapping, the IFCD Chief Engineer Th Indramani Singh on the same day had submitted an official written report to the state Director General of Police of which copies were also sent to the state Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister (in charge of Home), IFCD Minister, Principal Secretaries of Home and IFCD.
The report, while saying that the department had failed to inform the concern authorities about the team’s visit and apply for security escort, had further requested for rescue operation of the seven at the earliest.tion of the seven at the earliest.