Spurt in abduction cases in Assam

Abductions are on the rise in Assam. The cases regarding Dr PC Ram, Ajay Deka and K. N. Jha could only be the tip of the iceberg. In recent times the number of people abducted in Assam – and at times killed – is assuming alarming proportions, even though most of those do not hit the headlines. There are indications that the Union Government has taken serious note of the issue, conveying its concerns to the Assam Government to take effective steps.

In the month of July alone, over 12 people were abducted from different parts of Assam, including eleven people in Karbi Anglong district alone. Also abducted in the same month was Ajay Deka, a junior engineer with the PWD, whose body was dumped inside the Narangi cantonment area.

CID data indicates that in the year 2006, a total of 303 adult males and 460 adult females were abducted of which 274 males and 384 females were recovered. In the same year 365 male children and 690 female children were kidnapped. Out of them 337 male and 648 female children were recovered.

The figures in reality could be higher, because many abduction cases involving women and girl children go unreported – a fact that originates in society’s unwillingness to embrace missing women back in its fold.

The issue of abduction is becoming more complex in the State as quite a few cases are taking place camouflaged under prevailing extremist activities, which in fact aim at settling personal scores.

According to well-placed sources in the police, some miscreants are taking advantage of the low-level conflict situation to carry out abductions and extortions with the belief that the police would first take it up as a case of extremist action and allow them more leeway.

The recent killing of Ajay Deka, was carried out in a manner that could have led the police to consider it as an offence involving extremists. However, the police were able to make an early breakthrough revealing the personal motive of a few unscrupulous individuals.

The State police, aware of the rise in abduction, are finding it an unequal battle because they are not receiving the best of intelligence to track abductors and the brains behind. At times, low manpower has resulted in delayed action to tackle cases of abduction.

In the case of PC Ram, although a few police officials in private did acknowledge that Ram’s movement was being monitored, the official version stated that the police were actually unaware about the precise whereabouts of the FCI executive director, hinting that intelligence feed was not up to the mark.

Although abductions are taking place in different parts of the State, Karbi Anglong has emerged as the happy hunting ground for those involved in abductions. A number of extremist outfits have been carrying out audacious attempts in an unprecedented scale for the last three years.

A senior police official speaking on condition of anonymity revealed that in Karbi Anglong it is not to score a political point, but to extort money that various armed groups are abducting people. The police have so far been unable to contain the menace because they are handicapped by a manpower shortage in the difficult terrain of the district.

The police believe better intelligence to be a crucial requisite if abduction cases are to be pursued to their logical end. They also feel that the families of those abducted should be more forthcoming with the police and resist from paying ransom. Paying ransom, in their view, does little in assuring the safe return of the abducted

Assam | North East Enquirer (Headlines) | Nena Home Page |