Extortion cases surge in Assam, locals live in constant fear

Fear has gripped the well to do families in Assam, where incidents of kidnapping and extortion have seen a drastic increase lately. These are believed to be done by the banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The recovery of the body of Manik Baishya, an executive engineer with the state's Irrigation department on June 17, from the outskirts of the city has left the people of Guwahati to constant fright. Relatives of the deceased are alleging that the ULFA is behind the death of the engineer, who had received a call for extortion of $ 5 million by the dreaded 709 battalion of the banned organisation.