Small tea grower kidnapped in Assam

A small tea grower was kidnapped today by suspected NDFB (Ronjan) militants from Jaishidhi in Assam's Sonitpur district bordering Arunchal Pradesh.
The tea planter, Bhadreswar Nath (45), was abducted when he was working in his tea garden about one km away from his residence, police said.
Nath's family said he went to his tea garden on a motor bike at around 8 am and when he was supervising the plucking of tea leaves in the garden, two youths on a motorbike whisked him away.
Over 500 people from nearby villages gathered near Jaishidhi high school and shouted slogans against the militants and demanded Nath's immediate release.

Police said Nath was abducted by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Ronjan) faction and the kidnappers were associated with dreaded militant B Boko involved in the assassination of noted tea planter Adilur Rahman on November 13 last year.
District Superintendent of Police Arabinda Kalita said a vigorous search operation was launched by police and army in the bordering areas to rescue Nath.
Meanwhile, Sonitpur District Small Tea Growers Association has condemned Nath's kidnap and urged the militant group to release him immediately.