An umbrella organisation of Bengali people in Assam, alluding to the Bodo Peace Accord signed on January 27, has sought the return of a man abducted by suspected extremists in September 2019.
Pradip Shill, 28, who ran a motorcycle garage at Serfanguri Bazar in western Assam’s Kokrajhar district, has been missing since September 27 last.
Eyewitnesses said a man forced him at gunpoint to accompany him apparently for repairing a vehicle far from the market.
Ransom demand
For almost a week since he was last seen, members of his family received calls from a Bodo dialect-speaking person using a specific number. They had demanded ₹60 lakh for his release.
The Shills live in Tamarhat, a small town about 20 km from Serfanguri in the adjoining Dhubri district.
“We congratulate you for the historic accord and a slew of development it is expected to bring besides lasting peace after extremist groups [factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland] gave up arms. We now look forward to your help in finding Pradip Shill or providing a compensation of ₹25 lakh to his family,” the Sara Asom Bangali Oikyomancha wrote to Hagrama Mahilary, chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
“Various organisations had protested Mr. Shill’s abduction and the inaction of the police in helping the family. At the time of his abduction, his child was only 24 days old,” Oikyamancha general secretary Amritlal Das told The Hindu.
