Guwahati: Nirmala Kumari, the 82-year-old mother of NHPC general manger, Anil Kumar Agarwal (56) who was abducted at gun point by Bodo militants in Assam, on Friday made a passionate appeal to the abductors to release her son on humanitarian ground.
The NHPC official was abducted by militants belonging to the outkawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit faction) in the late evening of September 21 from 12th mile area near Bhalukpong bordering Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. He was on his way to Guwahati from Tawang. Since then he has remained untraced.
“He is a 56-year old man, suffering from severe asthma and diabetes and emotional stress and pain, we fear, can have a severe impact on his health, including irreversible damage. I am an 82-year-old widow and am dependent on my only son. I am a heart patient and in a state of great shock. His wife is extremely worried about his well-being and she is herself suffering from severe arthritis. His daughter is unable to continue her studies due to the stress caused by this situation. All his family members are in extreme pain and distress and uncertain of their future.
In this time of extreme distress and pain, I appeal with folded hands to all, and to those with whom my son is presently staying, to kindly consider the condition of our family and help
for the early and safe return of my ailing son,” the mother appealed through media here on Friday.
A security source informed that the abducted NHPC official might have been kept by the abductors inside thick jungles along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, but not in any of the border area villages.
Meanwhile, a police source has claimed that the NDFB(S) abductors have managed to contact the family of the abducted NHPC official with a ransom demand. Before that the outfit contacted the NHPC authority through e-mail with ransom demand. However, a source in the NHPC has denied receiving any such demand from the outfit.
The driver of the NHPC general manager and two other persons involved in the kidnapping have been arrested by the police has already been arrested. A widespread search operation has been launched to rescue the abducted person. Police also recovered two of the four motorcycles used in the abduction operation.
The ultras involved in the operation too have been identified. The NDFB has been involved in kidnapping of at least 14 persons in the areas bordering Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan in the last few months. Some of those have been released safe probably after payment of ransom while few more persons are still in captivity.