'Power bodies soft targets of ultras in NE'

AIZAWL, April 13: Central power corporations like the NEEPCO, NHPC and Power Grid Corporation, which have been undertaking high prices power projects, have become soft targets of the insurgent groups in the Northeast region, a top police official said here on Thursday, reports PTI. Citing the example of abduction of Power Grid Corporation officials by Manipur's Hmar People's Convention-Democrats (HPC-D) on Wednesday in Mizoram-Manipur border area, the police official, on condition of anonymity, said the rebel groups were indulging in extortion and found the Central power corporations as soft targets. NSCN and Manipuri insurgent groups have been collecting "protection money" from the power corporate bodies, he claimed adding that "The ultras knew that the power corporations could easily be armtwisted to pay huge ransom for the release of their employees." Six employees of the Northeastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) were kidnapped by the HPC-D militants on March 31 last year at the dam site of 60-megawatt Tuirial Hydel Project and demanded Rs one crore for their release. The Shillong-based power corporate body reportedly paid more than Rs 20 lakh ransom before the six captives were released after being in captivity for 74 days. NEEPCO is undertaking the construction works of Tuirial Hydel Project and 210-megawatt Tuivai Hydel Project while Power Grid Corporation, a Government of India undertaking, specialised in power transmission lines, is looking after the transmission works.