Bongaigaon, May 6: A youth who was abducted on April 29 from Bengtal in Chirang district was released last night.

Dhruba Jyoti Ray, 20, a higher secondary final year student of Bongaigaon Junior College, was dropped by two bike-borne men at Bengtal around 8pm, a few hours after the mastermind of the abduction, Sohim Islary alias Swmwi, a former NDFB cadre of Ranjan Daimary faction, was arrested by Dhaligaon police.

Unable to locate the area, Dhruba rushed to a nearby house that belonged to village headman Sobin Basumatary who helped Dhruba to contact his family. Later, the police received Dhruba from Basumatary's house around 11pm.

Dhruba is the eldest son of Adar Chandra Ray, a sub-engineer of Champavati canal division (irrigation), Dhaligaon in Chirang district and a resident of Chapaguri in the district. Police handed over Dhruba to his family in the wee hours today following a medical check-up at a private hospital in Bongaigaon.

A case under Section 365 (kidnapping with secret intention and to confine a person wrongfully) was registered against the abductors at Dhaligaon police station.

"A group of six to seven men were involved in the abduction. Sohim, a resident of Khungring in Chirang district, was the kingpin of the group," Rudra Kalita, officer-in-charge of Dhaligaon police station, said, adding, "The abductors do not belong to any militant groups, they are just criminals."

According to Sohim, Dhruba was held in captivity near Aie river at Palashguri in the district after his abduction at Kasikotra, which is around 11km from Dhruba's Chapaguri residence.

Dhruba said the abductors did not inflict any physical torture on him. He was served rice and meat during his captivity inside a jungle. The abductors shifted base frequently carrying Dhruba on a bike.

Dhruba also used to ferry passengers on his vehicle in and outside the district. His car was found abandoned at Kadamtoli near Kokrajhar town on April 30, following which his father filed an FIR at Dhaligaon police station.

"A person named Swarang had asked for the service to carry a relative from Kasikotra in Chirang district to New Bongaigaon in Bongaigaon district around 11.30am on April 29. I knew Swarang as he had travelled once in my car as a passenger," Dhruba recalled. Dhruba's family had received a call from the abductors, who demanded Rs 80 lakh as ransom on May 1.

Last morning, the abductors had scaled down the ransom to Rs 30 lakh and told the family that they would kill Dhruba if the amount was not paid within the day.