Kidnapped traders' torture CD creates panic in Assam

Guwahati, Aug 29 (UNI) Panic gripped Assam suspected militants abducted two traders, compiled a CD of the victims in pathetic condition and sent them to the victims' families after eight days.

The CDs, available with the police and a section of media, showed the victims severely beaten up and pleading forgiveness.

Kishore Choudhury and Sajan Dev Rai, two traders of the Lanka area in Central Assam's Nagaon district, were kidnapped by suspected militants on August 20 last from somewhere between Dimapur and Lanka.

Police blamed the incident on the Dilip Nunisa faction of the DHD, an outfit currently in ceasefire with the government.

The outfit, had, however, passed the buck on its defector, the faction headed by Jewel Garlosa.

The militants had sent a CD to the families of the victims on August 28, which showed both Choudhury and Rai severely injured after being assaulted.

They pleaded forgiveness and conveyed the ransom amount, demanded by the militants.

This was for the first time that militants had resorted to torture CD as they had been named by the media in the North East or rather the entire country, resembling the incidents common in the Al Qaeda -controlled West-Asia.

Even though both groups were known to have bases in the area, they were not active there as such.

''The militants in the CD were in the Army fatigue and their faces were masked,'' said Nagaon deputy commissioner J Balaji.

He said police were zeroing in on the culprits and a breakthrough was expected within the next few days.

Asked whether police had identified the group behind the incident, ''We certainly have some leads. We have sent our teams to the neighbouring North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong district, '' Mr Balaji added.

He, however, refused to name any outfit.

UNI