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Blame game continues on ‘Where is Ritul Saikia?’

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GUWAHATI: Though the Indian Army recovered two of the abducted employees of the ONGC, a blame game is ensuing on the whereabouts of the third employee — Ritul Saikia.

On April 21 midnight, a group of ULFA-I militants abducted three ONGC employees— Mohini Mohan Gogoi, Ritul Saikia and Alakesh Saikia from a work over rig site (ROM-100 III) at Lakwa in Sivasagar district.

The security forces rescued two of the abducted employees — Junior technician Mohini Mohan Gogoi and junior engineering assistant Alakesh Saikia — after a gunfight with their abductors near Totokchingnyu village in Nagaland’s Mon district on April 23 night. However, mystery shrouded over the fate of the third employee — Ritul Saikia.

Assam director general of police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta claimed Ritul Saikia is still alive in ULFA’s custody.

“We have got the location of the group….They are stuck along the Indo-Myanmar border…. We are collecting information with the coordination of Assam Rifles and Nagaland Police. According to our information, he is alive in ULFA’s custody,” said Mahanta.

Read: ABDUCTED ONGC EMPLOYEE RITUL SAIKIA ALIVE IN ULFA’S CUSTODY: ASSAM DGP

Meanwhile, United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent commander-in-chief Paresh Barua alias Paresh Asom refuted the DGP’s claims.

“Ritul Saikia is not with us. Assam Police and Army know where is Ritul Saikia…. He has not been with us since the operation. As the rescue operation was carried out by the Army, ONGC and Indian Army should take his responsibilities. Because, army as well as Assam chief minister announced that Ritul Saikia will be rescued. If Army say they can’t recover him, we will make all the attempts to rescue him,” Barua told media.

Read in Assamese: ৰিতুল শইকীয়া ক’ত হেৰাল?

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