Ulfa(I) Releases Video Of Kidnapped Oil Company Executives, Demands Rs 20 Crore Ransom
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
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By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-01-22 11:00:28
About the Author
Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.
View all posts by this Author
In December last year, Ulfa(I) and a faction of the NSCN(K) had kidnapped two executives of a Delhi-based drilling services firm Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited from the Kumchaikhadrilling site in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Ulfa(I) had reportedly demanded Rs 20 crore as ransom from the company for their release. The security forces had not been successful in locating the captives.
Now, Ulfa(I) has released a video where the two captives are seen making an appeal to the company and the authorities to secure their release. One of the captives, Pranab Kumar Gogoi from Assam, is seen saying "Ulfa(I) and NSCN have a conflict with my company. My company has not taken any steps for my release for the past one month. I appeal to my company to talk with the outfits. I also appeal to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to force the company to negotiate with the outfits and ensure my safety and release". The other captive, Ram Kumar from Bihar also made the same appeal but to the Bihar chief minister. The Centre and the three states - Assam, Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh - are making a concerted effort to secure their release.
This is the first big case of such kidnapping in a long time. With various factions of Ulfa either having surrendered or on the run, kidnappings and extortion have reduced in number. The extortion has now been institutionalized and the so-called Sulfa or surrendered-Ulfa cadres are running it mostly in the name of social service. But when a company from outside the state does any work in the north-east, it has to pay "local tax" to the many insurgent outfits still operating on the sly. Local companies have adopted the route of doing the work for Sulfa cadres who get the tenders passed in their names to avoid this payment.
The dispute the captives are talking about is nothing but a demand for paying the "local tax". As the company must have refused to bow down to extortion, the executives were kidnapped to collect the 'tax'. The authorities must take a strong stand and launch an operation to rescue the captives unharmed. If the insurgents are allowed to get away with this, no company will come to work in the north-east and development will stop.
