No clue to abducted power company official, say Assam cops

The abducted top official of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), Anil Kumar Agarwal, remained untraced Wednesday, Assam Police said.

According to police, suspected cadres of a faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), led by I.K. Songbijit, abducted the official Sep 21 from Assam's Sonitpur district.

Assam Police said they have no report about any ransom demand so far.

Agarwal was posted as general manager in the NHPC's 800 MW power project, under construction at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Police said the abduction took place when the NHPC official was on his way to Tezpur from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, police said.

Police have intensified search operations in and around Bhalukpong area at the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, but could not trace whereabouts of the official.

Police have arrested Agarwal's driver and a few other suspects for their alleged role in the abduction.

"Our investigation is on the right track and we have been carrying out operations to trace the abducted official. We believe the militants have kept him somewhere near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border and we hope to rescue him soon," said Additional Director General (Law and Order) of Assam Police A.P. Raut.

"So far as we are concerned, we have no report that any ransom demand has been set by the militants for releasing the abducted official," he added.