Traders abducted in South Garo Hills

A group of traders from Assam's Mankachar area were abducted by armed militants in Meghalaya's South Garo Hills district this morning today even as security forces have launched a search operation to rescue them, the police said.
The traders were on their way to a weekly market in Silkigre area when they were abducted at around 5.30 AM by armed cadres suspected to be of the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), district SP Anand Mishra said.
While the driver of the vehicle was let off, the traders were taken to the jungle at Songotagre under Chokpot PS in the district, he said adding the actual number of those abducted was yet to be ascertained.

The police have launched a search and rescue mission to trace the victims, he said.
"We are hopeful of a breakthrough soon on the matter. We suspect the kidnapping to be the handiwork of GNLA," the SP said.