Engineers G. Prateesh Chandra and Ch. Raghava Rao (Raghu) who were kidnapped near Dimapur in Nagaland on July 27, are said to have been released by the alleged militants. The released engineers are expected to reach Vijayawada by Wednesday evening.
The release comes after A.P government’s special representative in Delhi Kambhampati Rammohan Rao held discussions with Nagaland Chief Minister and senior police officials seeking their help in the safe release of the engineers from captivity. “We received information about their (engineers’) release. They will be reaching their place safely anytime now,” Mr. Rao told The Hindu from Delhi. Mr. Rao said he had requested the Nagaland government to arrange for transport of the two engineers to Vijayawada at the earliest.
The State administration spent tense moments as news of the kidnap of the engineers reached their families on Tuesday morning. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed Mr. Rao to be in constant touch with the Nagaland government and the police administration there for ensuring safe release of the engineers.
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The young engineers employed with Prithvi Constructions Ltd. in the northeastern State were abducted by the militants for a ransom on July 27. Twenty five-year-old Mr. Chandra belongs to Vijayawada while his colleague hails from Nuzvid. They were returning to Vijayawada and were picked up by militants shortly before they boarded a train to their respective places on the fateful evening.
Mr. Chandra earlier worked in Progressive Constructions Limited and has joined the present company a few months. His father G. Chowdary is businessman in Vijayawada.
It was just over a month ago that an engineer from Cheemakurthi in Prakasam district was kidnapped by Bodo militants in Assam and released a few days later following hectic parleys with his captors.
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