After a month of his abduction, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) employee Retul Saikia was released by the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) on Saturday.
Saikia was released at Longwa in Nagaland’s Mon district near the Indo-Myanmar border at 7 am, authorities said, as reported by the Indian Express.
“He was handed over to a team of Assam Police, Nagaland Police and Assam Rifles. He is still in Mon district right now but will reach Assam in three-four hours,” said Sudhakar Singh, SP, Charaideo district.
Five gunmen had abducted Mr. Saikia and two other ONGC employees from the oil rig in Charaideo district on April 21. The other two – junior technician Mohini Mohan Gogoi and junior engineering assistant Alakesh Saikia – were rescued after an encounter near the Myanmar border on April 24, as reported by The Hindu.
It may be recalled that some 500 villagers in Nagaland’s Mon district had joined the security forces in searching employees of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) abducted on April.
Mr. Saikia was released two days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to ULFA-I “commander-in-chief” Paresh Baruah to release him. The latter responded by saying the hostage would be released within four days.