Paresh Barua’s ‘abducted’ son ‘tortured,freed’

ULFA chief Paresh Barua’s son Arindam,who was allegedly abducted by unidentified persons from an undisclosed place two days ago,was freed Saturday,but not before being “tortured” and “questioned about his father”.“Arindam was abducted from a main road and kept blindfolded… subjected to physical torture and threatened with death. The abductors asked him to call up his father from their telephone, but since Arindam does not have direct contact with him,he was badly beaten and repeatedly questioned about his father’s whereabouts,source of income and his so-called business activities,” a statement signed by Arunodaya Dahotiya,head of ULFA’s Central Publicity Cell and e-mailed to newspaper offices in Guwahati late Saturday evening,said. Before he was released,it added,the abductors threatened Arindam not to reveal anything about them.The statement,however,did not mention where from Arindam,Barua’s eldest son,was abducted or by whom,but said: “ULFA condemns this incident and wants to make it clear that the organisation can not sit for talks at gunpoint… We have partially identified the abductors.” Intelligence agencies refused to comment on the alleged abduction that came to light through a statement issued by Barua on Thursday. Barua,the only top ULFA leader to have eluded Indian security forces so far,is believed to be in northern Myanmar while his family is said to be in Bangladesh.