IMPHAL, December 2: The driver of an inter-state night super bus who was abducted for a monetary demand of Rs 20 lakh by the proscribed UG group Naga National Council (NNC) was released safe and sound this morning.
The driver was abducted on November 27, 2013 from Vishwema area of Nagaland and remained captive for five days in NNC custody.
The driver Thoudam Rame, 31, son of Ningthem of Luwangsangbam Matai, Imphal East interacted with media this night at his residence.
He said that on November 27 morning, he was returning from Guwahati to Imphal.
After crossing Kohima and some distance away from Vishwema, a van (white colour) stopped the bus at around 6 am.
The occupants of the van asked him if he had a second driver. Afterwards, he was blindfolded and taken into their custody while the second drove the bus towards its destination.
After that they took him to an interior place in Nagaland. He said it was about 20 kilometer from the spot where he was kidnapped.
Rame said at their hideout the persons identified themselves as cadres of NNC group. They spoke Manipuri very well, and informed they do not have any anything personal with him but with the union as they have not given the annual tax of Rs 10 thousand per year per vehicle. The cadres assured Rame from the beginning that they were not going to hurt him.
He said that on the fateful day he brought 24 passengers from Guahati alongwith the second driver Chongtham Roshan (27) son of Tiken from Khurai .
This morning, the cadres escorted him till Tadubi on a short-cut hill track. After walking for 20 km they reached Tatubi area at 10.30 am.
Rame said that from Tatubi Bazar he board a taxi Somo to Senapati Bazar. Later he met his family members waiting at Senapati and by 6 pm evening he reached his residence.