Bihar Govt comes into action for oil executive’s release from ULFA custody
Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, February 6
Bihar government has requested Arunachal Pradesh government to secure safe return of 35-years-old Ram Kumar from the custody of banned ULFA.
Ramkumar, a company executive with an oil and gas drilling company, was kidnapped by ULFA led by Paresh Barua on December 21.
Director General of Bihar Police S K Singhal telephoned his Arunachal counterpart R P Upadhya and sought help in seeking safe return of Ram Kumar, a resident of Samastipur district,125 kms from here. On December 21, he along with his colleague Pranab Kumar Gogoi were held hostage by ULFA at Kumichaikh in Changlang district on Arunachal-Myanmar border.
ULFA released a video day before yesterday with two hostages telling their company that the kidnappers were demanding Rs 20 crore as ransom for their release. ULFA claimed the two hostages were healthy and safe in their custody, but warned if the ransom money was not paid by February 16, they would execute them.
Bina Kumar, wife of Ram Kumar, sent an audio-video appeal to the ULFA requesting early release of her husband as their only child, five-year-old son was admitted in AIIMS for treatment of blood cancer.
Bihar Police Chief told his Arunachal counterpart about the poor health of hostage’s son and sought assistance of government there for safe return of the company executive.
Upadhya informed S K Singhal that drones have also been put into service to trace the hostages in the jungles of Arunachal. Besides the Army, para-military forces and state police had been pressed into service to track hostages with the help of night vision devices, Bihar police chief was told.
Assam and Tripura police too have been associated in the mission to arrange safe return of Gogoi and Ramkumar.
