Appeal To Release Mizo Hostages Unconditionally

Aizawl, Mar 13 : With kidnappers threatening to kill five hostages kidnapped from Dampa Tiger Reserve on the Mizoram-Bangladesh-Tripura border last month, a meeting chaired by Mizoram Home minister R Lalzirliana has urged that they be released unconditionally.

Leaders of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, a conglomerate of leaders of 13 major churches, the central committee of the Young Mizo Association, Mizo Zirlai Pawl, the Mizo apex student body and Mizo Students Union, at the meeting yesterday, urged that the five muster roll employees be released without condition, an official statement said today.

The meeting expressed fear that the kidnap might trigger communal tension in the state as the abductors belonged to a Bru militant group functioning under the NLFT.

Police sources said that the abductors were hiding inside Bangladesh near Thangnang and Zopui area and the captives were alive.

The police suspected that the abductors belonged to the National Liberation Front of Tripura and Borok National Council of Tripura combine.

The kidnappers often threatened the families of the hostages over phones that they would be killed if ransom of Rs 50 lakh was not paid.

The hostages, kidnapped on 19 February were Lalsangmawia from West Phaileng, Liansanga from Teirei, Vanlalfaka from Damparengpui, and Nelson and Lalrinmawia both from Aizawl.