Senior advocate kidnapped in Hailakandi

Silchar, Oct 18: A gang of miscreants had kidnapped Tafajjul Ali Barbhuiya, a leading advocate of Hailakandi, at gun-point from Triganga village in Jamira near Assam-Mizoram border on Saturday night. Barbhuiya was staying at the residence of his relative Jalaluddin at Triganga where he was supposed to attend a talk regarding his property there on Sunday. Police sources said, a gang of at least 14 miscreants, dressed in army attire, attacked the residence of Jalaluddin and kidnapped Barbhuiya at gun-point. Saidur Rahman and Abidur Rahman, sons of Jalajuddin and Nejamuddin, tried to resist the miscreants. The gang reportedly started firing injuring Saidur and Abidur. They also beat up Nejamuddin. Miscreants later whisked away Barbhuiya towards dense forest near Assam-Mizoram
border.

After the arrest of Dhanyaram Reang, the boss of Bru militant outfit UDLA, it was assumed that peace would now prevail in the disturbed South Hailakandi bordering Mizoram. But the Saturday night incident has proved the assumption wrong. Monoranjan Das, officer-in-charge of Jamira police outpost told that the kidnapping was most probably the handiwork of Ataur-Bahini, a newly formed outfit which has resorted to kidnapping and extortion in the border area.

Meanwhile, Aziruddin Laskar who had accompanied Barbhuiya to Triganga, returned to Hailakandi. He said, the miscreants have also taken the mobile phone of Barbhuiya. Family members have rushed to Triganga. Interestingly they tried to contact him over cell phone, and one of the miscreants had reportedly told the family members of Barbhuiya that they would contact them later. Since then there has been no response from the miscreants till Sunday evening. Excise Minister Gautam Roy, who had cordial relation with Barbhuiya, has asked the police to start combing operation. Roy has also spoken to the DIG (Southern Reang). Police source said, chances of the involvement of Ataur-Bahini is bright in the kidnapping of the senior advocate. Some local Muslim youths have formed this gang in collusion with UDLA to extort money. THE SENTINEL