It is sad to hear about the kidnapping of Mr. Phulchand Ram. You correctly said that kidnapping has become an industry by itself.
I wonder what are the kidnapping theories you mentioned. I feel good to hear that Mr. Ram was magnamous to adopt an adivasi girl to give her a new life. There are not many people of this breed in India. I hope things work out and he is safely returned home. If ULFA would listen to my two hoots, I would sincerely request them to release this person. I hope that Mr. Debashish Kakoty and Sunil Dave be also released from their captors at Port Harcourt. Mohan R. Palleti > The abduction of an Assamese engineer by militants in Nigeria has > put the focus back on the "kidnapping industry" at home. > > The Assam government has sought New Delhi's intervention for the > release of Debasish Kakoty, who along with colleague Sunil Dave of > Maharashtra was abducted from Port Harcourt (Niger Basin) by armed > Nigerian militants for ransom on Saturday. It is, ironically, silent > about the whereabouts of senior FCI officer Phulchand Ram, who was > kidnapped by the outlawed Ulfa on April 17. > > While Indorama, Kakoty and Dave's Indonesian employers, have started > paying ransom in installments for the duo's release, the Ulfa is > believed to have been in touch with Ram's family in Ghaziabad for a > ransom of Rs 21 crore. > > "There's no doubt that the Ulfa is behind Ram's abduction, and we > are leaving no stone unturned to rescue him," chief minister Tarun > Gogoi said after the FCI executive director's abduction last month. > The efforts, however, have only translated into conjectures on the > possible locations Ram's abductors could have taken him to. > > According to additional DGP (law and order) SB Kakati, the Ulfa has > kept Ram hostage in Bagsa district of western Assam bordering > Bhutan. But the militants have been shifting him frequently to dodge > the police as well as SSB personnel manning the Indo-Bhutan border. > > The police zeroed in on Bagsa district, some 150 km from the State > capital, after Ram's driver Rabiram Basumatary was released by the > abductors on April 21 in that area. "We are going about the search > operation carefully in order to offset any harm the abductors might > cause the abducted FCI offer," Kakati said last week. > > Rabiram's release had given rise to conspiracy theories. So did the > fact that Ram's adopted daughter Junu Murmu had come to stay at his > rented apartment in Srinagar locality of the city barely a week > before his abduction. Junu is an Adivasi girl from Baganpara village > in Bagsa district. > > Meanwhile, FCI officers and employees have renewed their appeal for > Ram's release, maintaining that the fear factor could hamper the > corporation's functioning in Assam and elsewhere in militancy-prone > northeast. "We appeal to the chief minister to take a personal > interest in the case so that we can discharge our duties without > fear," said Seema Kakar, working president of the FCI Officers' > Association. > > Over the years, Ulfa and other extremist groups have been abducting > 45-60 persons, many of them tea executives, every year for ransom. > Some like NRI teacher-turned-businessman Pratul Deb were killed in > captivity despite part-payment of ransom while others were released > after negotiated settlement. > > KOUSHIK HAZARIKA > http://asom.co.nr > >
