Rebels abduct Pune official - Snatched while clicking butterflies
Read the following news in the Telegraph.
Guwahati/Itanagar, May 13: Suspected militants of the National Democratic Front of Boroland abducted an Indian Forest Service official of the Maharashtra cadre, V.S. Bardekar, from Daimara village in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, last night.
Bardekar, a cadre of the 1984 batch, who was posted at Pune as the joint director (administration), directorate of social forestry, Maharashtra, was on a private visit when he was abducted. Security forces have launched an operation to rescue him.
Sources said Bardekar, a butterfly enthusiast, had gone to the village, about 250km from Itanagar, under Bhalukpong police station yesterday to photograph butterflies and spend the night there. The area is close to the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, which is known for its large species of butterflies. “Maybe, he hoped to see some new species,” a forest official of Arunachal Pradesh said.
The sources said 11 youths, armed with automatic rifles and grenades, arrived at the residence of former panchayat member Lam Norvu, where Bardekar was putting up, around 8pm. They beat up a casual worker of the Arunachal Pradesh forest department, Payao Magaji, and a guide, Gombu Tsering, who were accompanying Bardekar, and took the official away.
Bardekar, Magaji and Tsering had gone to the village on two motorcycles, including one belonging to the Kelong forest beat office. The sources said Bardekar had visited Eagle’s Nest wildlife sanctuary in the district before arriving at the village.
Prakash Thosre, director, directorate of social forestry, Maharashtra, told The Telegraph over phone from Pune that he had learnt of the abduction from Arunachal Pradesh this morning. “He was on leave and on a private visit. He had told me he was going to the Northeast. He was supposed to join duty on May 24,” Thosre said, adding that Bardekar was a “nature lover” and took keen interest in butterflies. “The police in Arunachal Pradesh have told me they are trying to sort out the issue.”
Bardekar’s family could not be contacted as, according to the director’s office, they had recently moved house and the telephone numbers were not available with the office.
A senior police official in Assam said the NDFB was using the hilly and forested terrain on the inter-state boundary to hide and strike. “We are on alert on our side of the border in case the militants try to sneak in and move somewhere else with the official,” he added. He, however, admitted that it was difficult to launch counter-insurgency operations in areas where the rebels took shelter given the terrain. “One has to walk all the way and by the time we reach they will come to know of it and move away,” he said.
Sources said the NDFB was holding captive several persons they had abducted from Assam in these areas, including an 11-year-old ailing boy whom they had abducted recently from Sonitpur district. The militants have demanded Rs 1 crore for his release.
“We have reasons to believe the boy is still alive,” the police official said.
Link - http://www.telegraphindia.com/110051...y_12447898.jsp
Abducted butterfly collector released after two months
Sharing an update..
Abducted butterfly collector released after two months
PTI
Posted On Tuesday, August 03, 2010 at 08:53:47 AM
Assam Two months after militants kidnapped lepidopterist Vilas Rao Bardekar when he was in Arunachal Pradesh to photograph butterflies they released him in Assam’s Sonitpur district.
Though official sources said his release was the result of efforts made by the two neighbouring states, unofficial sources alleged Rs 1.4 crore was paid as ransom to the ultras for setting him free.
The former Indian Forest Service officer was set free at Dhekiajuli late on Friday night by the anti-talk Ranjan Daimary faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), officials here said today.
Vilas Bardekar is from Pune
The retired Maharashtra government forest official was allegedly abducted by suspected NDFB insurgents 83 days ago from a forest in Arunachal Pradesh.
Sources said Bardekar was not tortured during his captivity and added that he was sent to Pune via Mumbai from Guwahati during the day.
Bardekar was taken captive on May 12 from Daimara village in the Kamengbari Reserve Forest in Arunachal Pradesh where he was on a private visit to photograph butterfly varieties.
The 1984 Maharashtra cadre IFS official had put up for the night at former panchayat member Lama Norbu's house at Daimari village so he could go to the Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary to photograph butterflies there.
A group of 12 NDFB militants armed with automatic weapons and grenades had swooped on Lama's residence and beat up a forest department worker and a guide before taking Bardekar away.
Link - http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.as...347261106c91e7
