ULFA (I) has claimed that the employee of Shankar Tea Estate kidnapped by them is safe.
A caller claiming to be with the ULFA (I) called up Priyanka Deb, daughter of Shankar’s abducted employee Gaurang Deb, and told her that her father was in their ‘safe custody.’
“An ULFA (I) militant had telephoned me today claiming that my father is in their safe custody,” Priyanka told reporters.
A group of suspected ULFA (I) militants abducted Gauranga Deb, head fitter at Shankar’s tea estate factory, on October 11.
Police have failed to trace Deb so far, despite operations by security forces along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
Deb’s daughter Priyanka has blamed the management of Shankar Tea Estate for failing to get her father rescued.
“Shankar’s owner Sudhir Kumar Lohia is not at all concerned with the plight of my father. He has not done anything for his rescue,” said Priyanka.
ULFA (I) reportedly demanded Rs 50 million from the Shankar tea estate management.
The management has so far not agreed to pay the ransom.
The management has, however, denied receiving any extortion letter from the ULFA (I).
Shankar Tea Estate is owned by Kolkata based Sankar Tea Co Pvt Ltd.