UP chairman Arkimidis, member Bipul Chakma and Tirpal Chakma, another indigenous person, were abducted by a gang of criminals from Lernuchhari in Mohalchhari upazila on May 21 this year, local people and police said.

Earlier, four UP chairmen, in a joint statement, recently criticised the law enforcement authorities for failure to rescue them. They are Mubachhari UP chairman Kongjuri Marma, No 3 Kayanggat UP chairman Biswazit Chakma, Maischhari UP chairman Sajai Marma, and No 5 Sindukchhari UP chairman Sunupru Chowdhury.

United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) leader Samari Chakma blamed the authorities concerned for their inefficiency to rescue the abducted persons.

Khagrachhari additional superintendent of police (ASP) Giasuddin told this correspondent over a telephone that army and police jointly conducted raids at different places to rescue them but in vain.

Police said the abducted chairman is the main accused of Trader Rupom Mohazon Missing Case. Rupom went missing on August 24, 2003. He mediated to free three foreigners abducted from Rangamati the same year.

Parents and wife of Arkimidis are moving from door to door seeking justice. Arkimidis has a six-year-old daughter, Shampa Chakma. She does not know that her father had been abducted.