ULFA (I) Releases Abducted ONGC Employee Ritul Saikia

In a major development, the abducted ONGC employee Ritul Saikia has been released by the United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) on Friday morning. Saikia was released by the banned outfit at Mon district in Nagaland-Myanmar border.

Ritul Saikia's family thanked ULFA (I) Chief Paresh Baruah and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for releasing their son after a couple of months.

It may be mentioned that the ULFA (I) in a release on Fridaysaid that Ritul Saikia will be released soon.

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.

The Chief Minister also visited Ritul Saikia's house in Titabor on Tuesday last and assured the family that the state government will do all possible things to bring back their son to home at the earliest.

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