The workers identified as Hawaibam Suresh (22) and Jalal Udin (27) were excavating earth near their brick firm at Keithelmanbi area when three gunmen who called themselves as militants of Kangleipak Communist Party- Lamyanbam group (KCP-L) abducted them to an unknown place on November 24, the police said.
Although the incident occurred on November 24, the brick firm authorities filed a police case with nearby Patsoi police station in the district only yesterday, they said.
Soon after the abduction, the militants rang up the brick firm authorities to pay Rs 1.50 crore for safe release of the two workers and threatened that the two abducted workers would be killed in the next few days if their demand was not met, the sources said.
The militants also rang up family members of the victims telling them not to lodge any complaint with the police, sources said, adding that Jalal Udin is a resident of Hailakandi area in Assam.
Reports from the districts said hundreds of workers and womenfolk of the firm area yesterday launched a sit-in demanding immediate release of the two. 'Please not not trouble and harass workers,' read a placard at the protest site.