Police in Thoubal district have rescued a taxi driver, Sadananda Laishram, on Saturday from the clutches of United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) militants who had
kidnapped him for a ransom of Rs 3 lakh.
The UKLF is a signatory to suspension of operations and ground rules do not permit militants to kidnap persons for ransom or indulge in insurgency-related activities.
Three women traders had hired a van of Laishram on August 21 for fetching water melons. When they arrived at the market at Serou, armed UKLF militants whisked away the driver with his taxi. The women traders were pushed aside.
On receiving information, a police team searched for him in the mountains in Chandel district. The driver was found cowering behind sugarcane and maize plants. The taxi was hidden a little distance away. The armed tribal militants fled on seeing the policemen.
Meanwhile, Kuki Chiefs Association, Kuki Students' Organisation, Kuki People's Forum have in a joint statement urged the State and the Union government to shift the UKLF-designated camp from Chandel district. If it was not done by September 10 they threatened to launch agitations.
In captivityPolice in Nagaland have not been able to rescue driver Goutam Gopal and his cleaner Nawang Newmai who had been kidnapped on August 13 from 7 Mile Zebra Crossing near Kohima by Naga militants.
