chtnews.com
News No. 109/2010, June 08, 2010
Ex-chairman of Gainda Union Council, Mr. Newching Marma and a member of the Awami League party, Mr. Thuiko Marma, have been kidnapped from a restaurant in Rangamati town.
They were kidnapped by a group of JSS (Santu Larma faction) men at 2:45pm today, sources told chtnews.com.
“There have been police around, but they did not take action against the kidnappers.” a resident of Banrupa said, adding that the victims were also beaten up in full public view.
The reason for the kidnapping is still not clear, but Shanti Dev Chakma, chief organiser of UPDF Rangamati Unit, condemned the incident, and said the kidnapping has been orchestrated to sabotage the planned 12 June rally of the Hill Women’s Federation to mark the 14th year of the kidnapping of Ms Kalpana Chakma.
Mr. Shanti demanded their unconditional release and urged the government to take effective measures against the Santu group members.
Another kidnapped
In a previous incident, on 6 June, the armed members of the Jana Samhati Samiti (Santu faction) kidnapped Anno Chakma (35) son of Anil Baran Chakma from his home in Begabekya village under Banajogichara Union No. 2 in Jurachari in Rangamati district.
Anno was a “tax collector” of the Santu Larma faction of the Jana Samhati Samiti in the area and is believed to have embezzled some funds he had collected in the name of the group.
A few days before the kidnapping, he was asked by the local commander of the Santu group to meet him and hand over the funds. But the order was disobeyed.
Santu group men led by Hridoy Kumar Chakma then kidnapped him at 10pm on that day. He is yet to be traced.
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