3 Released
Contact established with victims, families worried
On the map: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
By Ratnadip Choudhury & Suneha Dutta
Guwahati/New Delhi, Feb 8 : Latest Update: Three girls from among the six World Wildlife Fund (WWF) volunteers abducted in in Assam have been released, sources have confirmed. The other three are likely to be released tomorrow morning. The released girls are being brought to the Bongaigoan police station.
P K Dutta, SP Kokrajhar, who is conducting the rescue operations, said they are not ready to name the group that kidnapped the volunteers for fear of jeopardising the release of the other three. “We are mounting pressure on them. They realised they made a mistake by abducting innocent apolitical WWF volunteers,” said Dutta.
Earlier, negotiators have established contact with the six kidnapped World Wildlife Fund (WWF) hostages in Assam, leading to hopes of their release, WWF Assam said. The six WWF volunteers were kidnapped on 7 February by armed militants from the Manas National Park in Assam, about 200 km west of Guwahati and bordering Bhutan.
The volunteers were carrying out a tiger and elephant census when they were abducted.
Dipankar Ghosh, head of Species Programme, WWF Delhi, said the family members of the six volunteers abducted have been in constant touch enquiring about their children. Ghosh said, “We are trying to calm them and keep them up to date with any progress in the search.”
Meanwhile, on 8 February, a day after the kidnapping, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) condemned the abduction. In a press release a little after noon, ULFA said every citizen in Assam is free to move anywhere without fear. WWF is a renowned organisation working in the field of wildlife conservation so ULFA urges the unknown armed group that is behind the kidnapping to immediately release them, the ULFA statement said.
The police thinks the kidnapping has been done by a faction of the National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NLFB), which is opposed to talks with the Centre. In the past, the NLFB has taken note of the ULFA’s views and it is believed that the ULFA statement condemning the kidnapping might have similar influence on the NLFB.
The statement was issued by self-styled second lieutenant Arunudoy Dohutia , in-charge of the central publicity wing of ULFA.
The six abducted are:
1. Pallavi Chakrabarty, 24
Shillong, Meghalaya 
2. Tarali Goswami
She works with the company NE Logistics, which is an authorised PSA of Cox and Kings. She has been working in Assam since September 2010. She has a Masters in tourism, 2007, Pragiyoth College, Guwahati. 
3. Gautam Kishore Sharma, 25
Graduate from Assam
4. Pranjal Saikia
Assam
5. Shrabani Goswami, 22
Graduate, Guwahati University, 2009
School Shankardev Shishu Niketan, 2004
Is from Assam. Her last Facebook update was on 7 December 2010, which said, “Hi”. She was also a part of the Save water and Save the Tiger.
6. Syed Naushad Zaman, 25
Masters in Tourism Management, Assam
WWF Assam co-ordinator, who is with the search operation party, told TEHELKA that he has spoken to all the six hostages. “They are together and are unharmed,” he said.
However, the hostages didn't know where they are being kept currently. Other than the phone call to the search party, they have not been allowed to speak to anyone else from the outside world till now, TEHELKA has learnt..
The officials, however, are still not sure which group is behind the abduction and where they have kept the hostages.
WWF India has released a formal press release saying: "We, along with the families of our volunteers, strongly appeal to the group and individuals involved in this abduction for the safe and immediate release of our young brothers and sisters.
We also thank the Bodoland Territorial Council, local administration, civil society groups, print and electronic media and others for their continued support in trying to resolve this crisis. We are hopeful that this appeal will be heard and responded to.
via Tehelka
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