From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Coalmines supervisors commonly known as sordar in the mineral rich East Jaintia Hills District are now spending sleepless nights due to heavy extortion demands by a heavily armed unidentified group of people numbering 10 to 15 believed to be members of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
Reliable sources informed that the suspected NDFB militants have issued several receipt slips to coalmine supervisors in East Jaintia Hills particularly in Sohkymphor area.
“The receipt slips were issued to them (sordar) instead of demand notes and they were asked to pay the amount mentioned in the receipt slip or face abduction,” the sources informed.
“It seems that these people (NDFB members) have obtained the help of some local goons in Jaintia Hills who have provided them with vehicles particularly Maruti Gypsy to visits various coalmines and serve the NDFB receipts to the sordar in which the amount was filled up in advance.
“These people are taking shelter in coalmines areas particularly in Sohkymphor area and in Umpleng area (commonly known as Cement) near Jaintia Cement Plant,” the sources added.
The sources also informed that the heavily armed NDFB members not only extort money from coalmine supervisors, mostly Nepalis, but have also kidnapped those who failed to pay the amount mentioned in the receipt slips.
On Sunday, a group of 5 to 6 persons, armed with AK rifles, kidnapped a coalmine supervisor from a place near Pamrakmai village in East Jaintia Hills.
“The supervisor was travelling on his motor bike from Wapung to Sohkymphor on Sunday. On reaching Pamrakmai a group of armed unidentified persons came in a Maruti Gypsy, intercepted the Sordar and kidnapped him,” sources said, adding that the village authority of Pamrakmai took the motor bike in their custody as it was found abandoned along the roadside.
Sources informed that so far the NDFB militants are targeting only non tribal coalmines supervisors and businessmen.
It may be mentioned that East Jaintia Hills Police have registered several kidnapping cases since January this year. Among those kidnapped include the children of a milkman and a daily wage earner, who were served with demand notes and asked to pay huge sums of money to ensure the safe release of their children.
