July 13, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 27, 1428

GUWAHATI, July 12: An Indian official kidnapped by separatist rebels in India's northeast three months ago was feared killed along with two militants in a failed rescue attempt on Thursday, police said.

The head of the state-owned Food Corporation of India, Phulchand Ram, was abducted in mid-April by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

The captors had demanded 20 million rupees (500,000 dollars) for the man's release.

But a rescue operation led to a gun battle with militants at a village about 50 kilometres west of Assam's main city Guwahati and three people were killed, including a middle-aged man, police officer G.P. Singh said.

“The physical description of the middle-aged man matches that of Ram. We are now in the process of completing procedural formalities and identification,” he said.—AFP