In a recent development in the ONGC employees' abduction cases, the two abductees Mohinimohan Gogoi and Alakesh Saikia were rescued by troops of the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and Nagaland Police on Saturday were handed over to Assam Police on Sunday midnight.
Addressing the media on Sunday morning, ONGC employee Mohinimohan Gogoi narrated the unprecedented event and said that on April 21 midnight where a group of five militants abducted the three officials.
Mohini Mohan Gogoi (35) and Ritul Saikia (33) mare junior technicians (Production), while Alakesh Saikia (28) is a junior engineering assistant (Production) at ONGC.
The encounters took place from 10 at night to 2.30 am on Friday between ULFA (I), NSCN, and reportedly 500 armed forces personnel led by Indian Army's 73rd Brigade, 35 Assam Rifles and Nagaland Police.
According to Gogoi, prior to the abduction, the officials on site were asked if there were any non-Assamese workers present. On learning that there were only Assamese workers, Gogoi, Saikia, and Retul Saikia were abducted and pushed into an ambulance. Their phones were confiscated and the ambulance was left near a border area from where the abductees were taken by foot.
Gogoi also said that another five militants joined in while they were walked into dense forests. Further, the militants comprised of both ULFA – I and NSCN faction.
Revealing more information about the ambush that occurred between the armed troops and the militants on Friday both Saikia and Gogoi said, that the armed forces first attacked the militants. Both admitted while the encounter was underway abductee Retul Saikia who is yet to be found was along with them. Amidst the chaos, both Saikia and Gogoi lost track of their colleague.
Both the rescued ONGC employees also said they were not briefed by the militants on anything related to their abduction. However, the only information they were given was they were being taken to Myanmar.
The employees also extended their gratitude to the armed forces, Assam police, and Nagaland police for rescuing them.
On Tuesday, the three ONGC employees were abducted by ULFA-(I) from an ONGC rig site at Lakwa field in the Sivasagar district.
The operation is underway to rescue Retul Saikia. ULFA-I claimed that all three employees were released at the same time and alleged that Saikia may have been killed by the Armed Forces or the Army-police are hiding him intentionally.
In this connection, as per reports, Mon deputy commissioner Thavaseelan K refuted ULFA(I)'s claim and said two of the three employees were found on the "other side of the road" in Tokok Singkhu village at around 2 am on Saturday amid the joint operation by Indian Army and Assam and not in the village.
