Rebels abduct 6 WWF-India volunteers

KOKRAJHAR/GUWAHATI: About 20 suspected militants belonging to the anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) have abducted six WWF-India volunteers at gunpoint from Ultapani reserve forest, which falls under the Manas Tiger Reserve.The volunteers were identified as Gautam Kishore Sarma,Pranjal Saikia, Syed Nushad Zammal, Sharavan Goswami, Tarali Goswami and PallaviChakrabarty. Four forest staff who accompanied the volunteers were, however,freed by the abductors. The volunteers were working in the area since lastmonth, and were about to finish their work in the next couple of days.Sources said the abductors have refused to talk till theanti-insurgency combing operation is withdrawn.