Criminals abducted 25 villagers at gunpoint from Hatimara area of Rangamati's Naniarchar upazila yesterday, said UPDF. 

The reason behind the “kidnap” could not be known immediately.

United Peoples Demo-cratic Front (UPDF), a political party of hill people opposing the CHT Peace Accord of 1997, alleged that Parbattya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samity (PCJSS-MN Larma) and UPDF (Democratic) were involved in the abduction.  

In a press release, signed by Niron Chakma, information and publicity secretary of UPDF central committee, the UPDF said the criminals kidnapped the victims when they were going to Kutukchhari Bazar by an engine boat around 7:00am.

When the incident happened, a patrol team of law enforcement was at Bhangga Mura, around one kilometre from the spot, the release added.

Sochol Chakma, organiser of Rangamati unit UPDF, condemned the incident and demanded immediate release of the villagers.

In another incident, two villagers -- Sukhentu Chakma, 50, and Tridib Chakma, 48 -- were also kidnapped from Naniarchar Bazar on July 4. The abductors demanded a ransom Tk 20 lakh. They were yet to be freed, Sochol added.

Contacted, Sudhakar Tripura, secretary of central unit of PCJSS-MN Larma, denied the allegation of kidnapping the villagers.

This correspondent could not contact UPDF (Democratic), a breakaway faction of the UPDF.

Abdul Latif, officer-in-charge of Naniarchar Police Station, said they had no information of such an incident. No-one complained about it.

Superintendent of Police in Rangamati Alomgir Kabir said he did not know anything about the “kidnapping”.