Paresh Baruah, ‘commander-in-chief (c-in-c)’ of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam--Independent (ULFA-I) in a telephonic interview on February 26 stated that ‘positive result’ can be expected in the abduction of two employees of an oil firm, in the coming days, reports The Print. According to Baruah, ‘negotiation is going on a good stead’ with the New Delhi-headquartered Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited. Though ULFA-I faced social backlash over the Quippo abductions, yet Baruah in his interview stated that the outfit still enjoys ‘60 per cent public support’ in Assam.
On December 21, 2020, ULFA-I militants abducted drilling superintendent Pranab Kumar Gogoi and radio operator Ram Kumar of Quippo Oil and Gas Infrastructure Limited from the Kumchaikha hydrocarbon drilling site near Innao in Changlang District of Arunachal Pradesh. The banned militant outfit reportedly demanded Rs 20 crore for the men and had set February 16 as the deadline for the ransom payment. However, later on, Paresh Baruah called up journalists in Assam to say that it has “deferred action” against the two officials and that the “deadline set for their release has been extended”, after earlier in the week threatening to take the “ultimate action” against the two.