Supervisor of tea estate goes missing, Ulfa (I) role suspected

DIBRUGARH: A tea estate supervisor who was kidnapped by suspected Ulfa (Independent) militants on September 28 remainstraceless, with security forces continuing combing operations in the area.

Sailyo Dahotia (40) was kidnapped by a six-member armed group, suspected to be Ulfa (I) militants,from Dihingia tea estate in the Kathalguri area, 65 km from Tinsukia. The incident occurred around 6.30pm near the office of the tea garden on Thursday while other employees were busy with Durga Puja festivities.

Police said Ulfa (I) had served an extortion notice, demanding Rs 1 lakh, to the proprietor of the tea estate Rajib Phukan three months ago.Despite repeatedintimidation and threats over telephone, Phukan refused to cough up the money. Meanwhile, on the basis of his complaint, police conducted a couple of raids to nab the Ulfa members suspected of being involved in the extortion bid.

According to intelligence sources, an Ulfa (I) group withsix toeight members— led by self-styled sergeant Rupam Asom — has been targetting businessmen and tea planters in Tinsukia districtfor extortion for a while now. Sources point out that theUlfa (I),likeseveralother militant outfits in the northeast, has been forced to indulge in mass extortion to deal with a severe cash crunch that has hit their ranksfollowing thedemonetisation moveby the governmentlast year.

"We suspect that the same Ulfa (I) group led by Rupam Asom is behind the abduction. The morning after the abduction, a senior Ulfa (I)leader calledup Rajib Phukan, the owner of Dihingia tea estate anddemanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh for securing Dahotia's release. We believe that the militant group hastaken thehostage inside the thick jungles along the Assam-Arunachal border. Along with our Arunchal Pradesh counterparts, we are conducting combing operations in the likely hideouts. The Army andtheCoBRA(Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) are assisting us in the operations. We are hopeful of a breakthrough soon," Tinsukia SP Mugdhajyoti Mahanta saidon Sunday. Meanwhile, four prominent organisations of the state—All Assam Students' Union, All Assam Moran Chatra Santha, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad andAsom Moran Sabha — on Saturday wrote an open letter to Ulfa (I) commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah seeking the unconditional release of Sailyo Dahotia.