In a major breakthrough, the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom– Independent (ULFA-I) on Thursday stated it will release abducted employees of ONGC Ritul Saikia within the next four days.
The declaration was made by the outfit chief Paresh Baruah to an Assamese news channel after Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma urged at a press conference to release Saikia at the earliest.
Dr. Sarma appealed to ULFA-I and Paresh Baruah, that Saikia's wife and parents are suffering immensely and are distressed since his abduction. Dr. Sarma as an Assamese requested Baruah to release him.
Responding to the Chief Minister's appeal, Baruah said that the chief minister made a responsible appeal and therefore he assures that Saikia will reunite with his family within three to four days.
On Tuesday, Paresh Baruah had confirmed that Saikia was in ULFA-I's custody and was safe.
As per reports, Saikia is abducted and kept somewhere in Myanmar along its border with India.
Three employees of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation including Saikia were abducted from a rig site in Sivasagar on April 21. The other two abductees Mohini Mohan Gogoi and Alakesh Saikia were rescued by security forces in Nagaland three days later. Ritul Saikia is a junior engineer assistant in ONGC.