Extortion rocks tea plantation industry
The kidnapping of a manager and frequent calls for extortion by anti-talk faction of outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland to the tea gardens of the state has created fear-psychosis among the tea planters of Assam.
Authoritative security sources, which confirmed the involvement of outlawed NDFB rebels in kidnapping of Kamalesh Gupta, manager of Menoka Tea Estate on Monday, also admitted that tea planters of Northern bank more particularly of Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri and Baksha districts have informed the police about the extortion calls of NDFB rebels.
When contacted sources in the plantation industry also confirmed the reports but regretted that the police was referring these calls for extortion as an act of miscreants. Claiming that industry was resisting the demand of outlawed organisations so far, sources in the plantation industry however said that abduction of Gupta has shaken the confidence of the industry.
Pointing out that militants are calling the tea planters from their mobiles, security sources said that the amount they are demanding varies from `5 to `10 lakhs.
The more worrying is the fact that in many cases, security officials are alleged to have been advising the planters to pay the money if it is within their limit.
If insiders in the plantation industries are to be referred they have been left with limited options either to desert the gardens or have understanding with the outlawed organisations.
Meanwhile, security sources also informed that outlawed NDFB rebels have established contact with the father of Kamlesh Gupta in Jharkhand and asking to put pressure on the management of the Menoka Tea Estate to contact them to negotiate.
The security sources also suspected that NDFB rebels are using Adivasi youth to kidnap planters.
A similar attempt of NDFB rebels at Panbari in Sonitpur district had failed last month. Though, police claimed it to be a case of dacoity. (EOM)
Post new comment