The Patriotic People’s Front Assam (PPFA) on Sunday expressed serious concern over the fate of Ram Kumar, one of the employees of the Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited, who is yet to be released by ULFA(I).
The ULFA(I) had released Quippo employee Pranab Kumar Gogoi at Changlang in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday after three months in captivity.
The PPFA expressed concern that the militant outfit has not issued any statement over the release of Kumar, who hails from Bihar.
Also read: ULFA(I) releases Quippo employee in Arunachal Pradesh after 115 days in captivity
Although both employees were expected to be released on the same day after the banned outfit’s obligatory negotiations with the company, only Gogoi arrived at his home in Assam’s Sivasagar district.
ULFA(I) cadres had kidnapped them from the Dayun Khumsai drilling area in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district for ransoms on December 21 last year.
“It will be very unfortunate if Ram Kumar becomes the victim of circumstances and history will never forgive the people of Assam if we do not raise our voices for his earliest and safe release,” PPFA said in a statement.
“The authority, civil society groups and common people must stand united for his safety,” the statement further stated.
Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Barua on January 12 had admitted that both the abducted Quippo employees were in their custody.
Barua had even threatened to take action against them if the outfit’s share of money for extracting natural resources in the Northeast was not paid by the company.
He had said that the first victim would be Kumar.