By IANS,
Shillong : A top State Bank of India (SBI) official who was kidnapped by suspected rebels of the Rabha Vipers Army (RVA) earlier this week remained untraced Saturday, a police official said.
V.K. Gupta, the assistant general manager (inspection) of the bank, was abducted by four armed RVA rebels from Chotamatia area in East Garo Hills district Thursday night (Feb 23).
Gupta was abducted while he was proceedings towards Assam after having completed auditing at Mendipathar branch of the bank.
“We (security forces) have not been able to trace the abducted bank official but the hunt is on to rescue the hostage,” Inspector General of Police (Western Range) F.D. Sangma told IANS.
Moreover, he said, neither the abductors nor Gupta have made any contact with the family members.
Intelligence agencies and the Meghalaya police believe the bank official was abducted for ransom by the tribal Rabha outfit — a rebel group operating largely in the Rabha tribe-inhabited areas in Assam’s Goalpara district and certain areas of Meghalaya’s East and West Garo Hills districts.
“The hunt is on. Both Meghalaya and Assam police are undertaking combing operations to rescue Gupta,” Sangma said.