GUWAHATI: Eight Assam-based traders, kidnapped by the militants from South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya last week, were released unharmed on Wednesday morning.
The police suspected that the kidnappers, belonging to insurgent group ASAK, released the traders on
payment of ransom.
“They were released this (Wednesday) morning. We suspect that ransom was paid to secure their release,”
the police said. The police sent separate teams to receive the traders and assist them.
On September 29, the militants had kidnapped nine traders at gun-point by intercepting a vehicle which
they were traveling in. The victims were on their way to the Silkigre weekly market.
Initially, the police had suspected the hand of insurgent group Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in
the incident but one of the traders, who later managed to escape, had told the police that the
abduction was the handiwork of ASAK. He had purportedly also identified a leader of the insurgent
group.
Kidnapping for ransom by the insurgents is a day-to-day affair in Garo Hills. There have been numerous
instances in the past when the rebels killed people for failure to pay ransom.