Abducted Manipuri drivers released

Kohima, Oct 28 (UNI) Three drivers from Manipur, attached with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), who were reportedly abducted by unknown miscreants on Sunday, were released last night after they paid Rs 15,000 to the abductors.

Official sources here today said the drivers, along with their handymen, were preparing food for dinner on Sunday near the Firing Range of Dimapur, when three people, including two women, came to meet them.

The people, along with the drivers, later left together without informing anything to the handymen. When they did not return at night, the handymen informed the police and also the truck owners in Manipur.

Dimapur police launched a manhunt for the missing drivers, but failed to locate them.

The three drivers were released last night after they reportedly paid Rs 5,000 each to the abductors, who were suspected to be activists of Kuki Liberation Army (KLA). The drivers reportedly left for Imphal after they were released.

The KLA is demanding Rs 5,000 each from every truck and bus bound for Manipur. The KLA also claimed responsibility for torching a passenger bus on Thursday at Lahorijan in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, due to which two people, including a woman, were burnt alive.

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