DIPHU, March 4 � Twenty-four hours after the abduction of Abhitjit Rabha, Chief Conservator of Forest (Hills) and Ranjan Barua, Range Officer, Biodiversity Range Diphu, the administration and police are still clueless about the whereabouts of the forest officials. KPLT, the chief suspect in this high profile kidnap too has not established any contact with the families of the forest officials, or with any of their close associates till now.
Giving a new twist to the episode, KPLT has refused to own up the kidnap. In a message to a local vernacular daily, the outfit has refused to own responsibility of the forest officials� abduction.
Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Joyram Engleng today appealed to the abductors to release the forest officials unharmed, on humanitarian grounds.
At a press meet held at his Diphu residence, CEM Engleng, while expressing deep concern for the kidnapped persons, said, �Any matter can be resolved through negotiation and peaceful means, no one should adopt such means.�
Herumai Barua, wife of Range Officer Barua has appealed to the kidnappers to release her husband and Abhijit Rabha on compassionate grounds. A similar appeal has been made by the family of Rabha today through the media.
�We are trying our level best through all possible means. Police, Army and paramilitary forces have intensified combing operation, but till now no progress has been made,� Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Karbi Anglong, told this correspondent this evening.
This evening Deputy Commissioner Kumar and Superintendent of Police B B Chetry held a closed-door meeting in this connection in the DC�s official chamber, but neither divulged anything about the outcome of the meeting to the media.
