CM Sonowal Appeals ULFA-(I) To Release Both OIL Employees

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday appealed to ULFA-(I) Commander in Chief Paresh Baruah to release both the captive OIL employees who were kidnapped last year in December.

"We have appealed to the ULFA (I) to release the employees of Quippo on humanitarian ground," CM Sonowal told reporters.

"Our doors are always open for talks. Therefore, we have appealed to ULFA (I) C-in-C Paresh Baruah to shun the path of violence and come to dialogue because only through dialogue and peaceful talks, problems can be solved," he said.

"Many insurgency groups have shunned violence path and come to peace talks. Recently, many rebel groups have surrendered and ready for dialogue," he added.

Meanwhile, G. Ramesh, executive director and state-level coordinator of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), also appealed to ULFA (I) to release both the employees of Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited.

"Both the employees are not the direct employees of IOCL. They are working for Quippo. We have appealed to the rebel outfit to release them as soon as possible," Ramesh said.

On Friday, the outfit issued a statement that the OIL employees will be executed Monday (Feb 22) if their demands are not met.

On December 20, the ULFA-(I) and NSCN (IM) jointly kidnapped the two oil company employees, Ram Kumar who hails from Bihar and Pranab Kumar Gogoi of Sivasagar, from a drilling location in Diyun under Arunachal's Changlang district. They demanded 20 crores as ransom.