AGARTALA, Dec 2 - In a stunning revelation, Raktim Bhowmik, who had returned from the clutches of militants on Friday,�said�that Rs 50 lakh was paid to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) as ransom.
Unfolding the mystery behind the kidnapping of three bank staff including two officials of Tripura Gramin Bank (TGB), Raktim said they were kidnapped from Khasiamangal area under Teliamura police station by heavily-armed insurgents on November 24.
�I along with Tanmoy Bhattacharjee and Sujit Dey were forced to board a vehicle. After an hour�s journey, we were forced to get down�, Raktim, manager of TGB, Taidu branch, said.
�Then, we were shifted to another vehicle and travelled a long distance but could not identify the place as we were blindfolded by the abductors�, he revealed.
�Finally, we got down from the vehicle and confined in a forest area�, he said , adding that a day after the abduction, the militants contacted our family members and sought Rs 17 lakh for each�.
Raktim�s father had initiated the process to collect the money as demanded by the abductors. �I had to run from pillar to post to raise the amount for the release of my son�, said Ratan Bhowmik, an engineer of NEEPCO.
On Thursday, a bag containing Rs 50 lakh was dropped in the house of Subrata Debbarma at Manik Bazar in Dhalai district as per instruction of the outlawed group. �The following morning, we were released and it took around five hours to reach Taidu�, Raktim said while expressing dismay over the role of police in handling the case.
When contacted, a senior police officer said the police has already begun investigation and apprehended four persons from Pragati Road area of the capital town.
