No trace of hostages

SHILLONG, Aug 26: Even after six days of abduction of the two officials of Virgo Cement, the police is still clueless on the whereabouts of the two abducted officials. Manager of Virgo Cements Shambhu Danuka and his Chief Engineer PK Hore were abducted by unknown gunmen on August 21 while they were on their way to Damas from Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district, bordering Assam, where the cement factory is situated. The manhunt conducted by the Meghalaya-Assam police and the Army along the thick jungles of the Asom-Meghalaya border has yielded no results so far. Moreover, the police are also in a dilemma on the identity of the abductors. “Initially, we thought that the ULFA is involved, but after interrogating the freed driver we are of the impression that a nascent Rabha militant group could be involved”, stated a senior police official. While the police continue to maintain that the cement company officials were abducted for ransom, the owners of the cement company have denied receiving any ransom demand. While the police and Army rescue operation is on to trace the abducted cement officials, sources said that the Asom and Meghalaya police will conduct a meeting with the Virgo Cements officials on the issue. It is learnt that the police is trying to get the real picture about the ransom angle which the Virgo Cements owners have denied so far. The two cement company officials were abducted from a forest between Dudnoi and Damas, a place known to be a hub of the ULFA-NDFB militants. THE SENTINEL