Kidnapped ONGC employee still in captivity: Assam Police

GUWAHATI:

Assam Police on Wednesday informed that one of the three abducted ONGC employees is still being held captive by ULFA-I militants and that the group remains hidden in Nagaland.

"Search operations for the missing employee are still being carried out. The team is receiving regular updates from security agencies," Special Director General of Police Gyanendra Pratap Singh said.

"We have got specific information from Assam Rifles, the Army and Nagaland Police that Ritul Saikia is still in captivity of ULFA(I). They are hiding in Mon district," Singh said. 

"We will be able to rescue him very soon," he added.

"The security forces are silent on Ritul Saikia (the third ONGC employee). We, therefore, suspect that he may have fallen to their bullets or the security agencies are refraining from revealing his status for their own reasons," read a statement issued by the ULFA-I.

On April 21, three ONGC employees were abducted by ULFA-I cadres in an ambulance from Romonia workover RIG in the Lakuwa area of Sivasagar district in Upper Assam.
Two of the employees were rescued on April 24. 

Police arrested three persons, including one Assam Police constable, for their role in the kidnapping.

Police also took into custody 20 persons for their alleged involvement or links with the abduction.

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