IMPHAL, August 4: The two non local engineers who were abducted along with the officials of IFCD department by unidentified armed persons on August 1 from Pukhao Terapur under Sagolmang police station in Imphal East district were released this morning by their alleged abductors.
In a late night development, a reliable source informed that the two IFCD engineers along with their drivers and the contractor have also been released by the kidnappers.
However, the details for their release could not be confirmed till the filing of this story.
Sources have said that the 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) and the contractor Sanayaima Sharma have also been released late this evening and said to be in the custody of an Imphal East Police team.
However, further details on their release are awaited.
Meanwhile, the two engineers of the Kolkata based R N Sinha Corporation Limited identified as Abhijit Sinha (53), and Bedjit Sinha (25), both from Kolkata have reached Imphal and are safe.
Speaking to media persons on reaching Imphal, Abhijit Sinha said they were released today morning at around 4.30 and sent back towards Imphal by the abductors on a hired Jeep.
After travelling for around one and half hour, they changed the vehicle and hired an autorickshaw in which they reached Classic Hotel at around 7:30 am, he said.
He also informed that they will be leaving the state tomorrow.
Elaborating on their ordeal, he said that they were abducted by the unknown armed miscreants as they were returning back from Dolathabi Barrage Construction site.
They were taken to an isolated hilly area where they were made to halt for the night, he said.
The next morning they were taken to another place on foot, he said before adding that they were all kept in a well-managed house and were never ill-treated.
The abductors also provided them with good food and new clothes, he said.
He further appealed to the kidnappers to release the remaining others including the IFCD officials.
Meanwhile, sit-ins were staged today at Uripok Polem Leikai by locals for the safe release of Executive Engineer N Surchandra and at Thangmeiband Lilasing Khongnangkhong for the safe release of Superintending Engineer N Karunacharya.
Speaking to the media, Karunacharya’s wife Jayalaxmi appealed to release her husband and his associates considering the hardships faced by the families.
The engineers along with the two representatives of the Kolkata based company were returning after a tour of Dolaithabi Barrage when they were allegedly kidnapped.