GUWAHATI, April 22: Assam Police on Thursday picked up nine persons for questioning in connection with the abduction of the three Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) employees from a gas gathering station in Lakwa in Sivasagar district of Upper Assam on Wednesday.
According to reports, the nine persons picked up are Mintu Phukan, Kiran Phukan, Prachan Dutta, Rajen Chetia, Bongshi Borgohain, Pulin Borgohain, Jiten Gogoi, Srimanta Likchan and Biman Likchan.
The ONGC employees, Mohini Mohan Gogoi of Demow, Ritul Saikia of Borhola and Alakesh Saikia of Jorhat, were abducted by unidentified miscreants in the early hours of Wednesday.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal held an urgent meeting with chief secretary Jishnu Baruah and DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta on Wednesday and directed urgent measures to secure the release of the trio.
Additional DGP (law and order) G.P Singh rushed to the area of incident following the chief minister’s direction and has started investigation.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Singh said the involvement of the United Liberation of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) in the case has been established by our investigation.
“Kidnapping for ransom is one aspect we have established. Secondly, ULFA-I cadres and over-ground workers of the militant outfit are trying to create instability in the state, which we will not allow,” he said.
Search operations have been launched by the police with the ADGP (law and order) monitoring the situation on the ground as well as coordinating intelligence operations with the security forces.
According to reports, some family members of active ULFA-I cadres hailing from Sivasagar and Charaideo districts have been picked up for questioning by the police as well.