Kidnapped schoolmaster rescued

Aizawl, Oct 6 (UNI) A middle-school headmaster, who was abducted yesterday by armed criminals, was rescued today near the Bangladesh border, police said.

An intelligences source told UNI that the Bangladesh-based United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) rescued the hostage and nabbed two of the kidnappers inside Bangladesh and later handed them over to the Mizoram police.

Six men in army camouflage armed with AK 47 rifles and revolvers kidnapped Kishore Rongya Chakma from his house on Saturday evening.

The kidnappers demanded Rs 4 lakh ransom to be paid before sunset of October 7, Mamit SDPO Ralkapzauva had said in the morning.

The kidnappers were a gang of Chakma miscreants operating across the border, according to police.

The Mizoram police's Hunter Force was hot on the trail of the kidnappers, but before they could crack down on them, the UPDF rescued the hostage and nabbed two of the kidnappers. Two of the kidnappers managed to escape, the source said.

The kidnappers had demanded that the ransom money be delivered at a place called Marlui in Bangladesh side before Tuesday sunset failing which they will kill the hostage.

The UPDF, a Chakma underground outfit, is an offspring of the Bangladesh-based Shanti Bahini.

UNI ZS PC RR AS1959