At a time when states are battling the covid-19 crisis, three employees of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) were abducted by unknown armed militants from a rig site in Assam on Wednesday.
In its official Twitter post, ONGC said: "Three ONGC employees, 2 Junior Engineer Assistants (Production) & a Junior Technician (Production) have been abducted by unknown armed miscreants in the early hours of 21 April 2021. The abduction took place on a rig site of ONGC in Lakwa field of Sivasagar District (Assam)."
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The abducted employees were taken by the miscreants in an operational vehicle belonging to ONGC. Later, the vehicle was found abandoned near the Nimonagarh jungles close to the Assam-Nagaland border. A complaint has been lodged by ONGC with the local police, said the company.
Meanwhile, higher officials of the State Police are on the site. The local administration has been informed about the incident and ONGC is in constant touch with the higher authorities.
Since the 1960s, the company is exploring and producing oil and gas in the Upper Assam region.
According to PTI sources, suspected ULFA(I) militants are behind this kidnapping and they escaped through Nagaland. The PTI sources said based on the preliminary findings.
It is not the first time for the state to witness such abduction. However, as per the report, there has been no demand for ransom or anything so far. The abduction has taken place in the early hours of Wednesday.