Imphal, October 31: Engineers continue to reel under a spate of abductions as barely 24 hours after the release of three Engineers of the PHE Department from the custody of the KRA rebels, an Executive Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control Department went missing since yesterday morning in an apparent case of abduction.

The IFCD official identified as one Laithangbam Yaiskul from Keibung Oinam Leikai and belonging to the Department's Flood Control and Drainage Division along with his driver Tolen Singh and another driver named I Basanta Singh have been reported missing even though none of the families have formally lodged a complaint with the police authorities on the matter.

According to reports, yaiskul and the two drivers had moved out from the EE's residence on the fateful morning for a regular inspection of the ongoing Nambul River cleansing programme.

As the driver duo has also not reported home till date, the matter is assumed to be a case of abduction by a militant group.

Sharing light on the case on condition of anonymity a senior official of the IFCD today said Yaiskul's family declined to divulge details regarding the suspected abduction case.

"This being the case we have not received any explicit report on Yaiskul's whereabouts and it is yet to be ascertained which group, if any, is involved in the act," maintained the official, who nevertheless speculated the EE's disappearance might be related to monetary demand.

Information provided by police source said that the Maruti Gypsy allotted to Yaiskul has been recovered from near Yumnam Huidrom today and that Singjamei police have registered a suo moto FIR case.

search is on in specific locations to trace the missing trio.

It is pertinent to mention that KRA had recently claimed abduction of three PHED Engineers who were set free after 18 days detainment on October 29 night.

While employees of Engineering departments of the State staged demonstration condemning the abduction of the three and demanding their safe release, the latest abduction is likely to impede smooth execution of the Nambul River Improvement Scheme being taken up in the capital area as related works came to a halt since yesterday.

Feeling insecure owing to spurt in the abduction of Engineers, PHED officials refrained from land survey works supposed to have been taken up from Maharani Bridge upto Keishampat in connection with the Nambul River project which is being implemented as a part of the Imphal beautification Project launched recently under the initiative of the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh with an estimated project cost of Rs 11.5 crores.

Apprehensive of meeting the same fate that befell their colleague (Yaiskul), other Engineers of the IFC Department are also declining to move out to the work sites, the official observed who also appealed to those behind the abduction to release Yaiskul and the two drivers safely at the earliest.

Apart from the chilling fear of being abducted officials of various Engineering departments are said to be enduring intimidations as no less than four cases of Engineers' residence coming under attacks in the last few days have been reported.

moreover, the Engineers whose houses were targeted by the attackers are yet to return home probably preferring to lie low at a safer place.

These Engineers are said to have apprised the Government to provide security coverage which is yet to be reciprocated in a positive manner.

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