Imphal, July 13 2010: A non-local cement trader reportedly held captive by the UKLF has been rescued by troops of 23 Assam Rifles today.

Interacting with newspersons at the Imphal East district police complex here, the trader namely Umesh Prasad s/o Pradip Narayan said about four unidentified armed persons came in a Maruti Van at his New Checkon cement shop at around 9 am of July 10 and took him away to an undisclosed place.

The 30 year-old Umesh, who originally hails from Bihar but stays at New Checkon maintained that his captive demanded Rs 10 lakh for his release.

claiming that the abductors finally agreed for an amount of Rs 2 lakh as he pleaded inability to cough up the demanded amount, Umesh said the agreed sum was handed over to the abductors at a designated spot by his wife namely Ragini yesterday.

Rather that set Umesh free on receipt of the amount, the armed persons insisted that more money be paid for his release, the trader said and added that while discussions were on for his release a fire-fight broke out between AR troopers and the abductors at around 7 am today, resulting in the captors fleeing towards the hilly terrain.

Umesh maintained that he had received no monetary demands from any armed groups in the past.

Confirming the rescue, Post Commander of the Sagolmang-based 23 Assam Rifles' Maj Kaushal told newspersons that troops of the 23 AR spread out upon getting information that a non-Manipur had been kept captive at a spot in between Aijang and nungsum village under Lamlai police station.

As the AR troops neared Aijang unidentified persons opened fire leading to an encounter for about 10 minutes.

Finally, Umesh was rescued from the clutches of the abductors after a brief search of the shoot-out spot, the officer informed.

Meanwhile, Imphal East district police commandos have arrested three activists of the KRA outfit and one member of the KRF group from different places.

It is said that the KRA activists identified as Luntinlian Chongloi (23) s/o Sasat Chongloi of Yangloi village in Saikul sub-division, Paokhominthang Simte (26) s/o (L) Thangkholian Simte of New Checkon and thangleilal Khongsai (31) s/o (L) Akai Khongsai of Saikul were apprehended from Khurai Lamlong Thongkhong area where the district commandos were deployed on duty this morning.

The police commandos have reportedly recovered two demand notes of the KRA, cash amount of Rs 13,000 and a Pulsar motorcycle (MN01Q/4606) from the possession of the trio.

The KRF cadre netted from New Checkon traffic crossing point at around 11.30 am today has been identified as one Thangneo Doungel (27) s/o Siethang Doungel of Saikul Yangloi village.

A police source claimed that Thangneo was involved in the bomb attack at the Keikhu Mayai Leikai residence of one Md Nazimuddin some days back.

Nazimuddin is informed to be the BDO of Chandel district.

A Yamaha FZ motorcycle bearing registration No.MN04B/7227 has been seized from the arrested Thangneo.

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