Two kidnapped residents of Ingushetia may be kept in Chechnya, relatives assert

Umalat Bersanov and Akraman Ugurchiev, who were kidnapped by unidentified persons in Ingushetia, unidentified, are currently in Chechnya, Bashir Bersanov, Umalat's father, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"I can't specify the source of information," he has assured.

Let us remind you that Salman Ugurchiev, who had earlier claimed kidnapping of his son Akraman Ugurchiev, sent an open letter to the Council of Europe, asking to help in searching his son. The police say that a check is underway on the fact of Bersanov's and Ugurchiev's disappearance. However, Bashir Bersanov, Umalat's father, assumes that power agents themselves may be involved in the kidnapping. Relatives of the missing men complained about the sluggishness of investigation.

According to Bashir Bersanov, he was received by the representative of Russian president in Ingushetia, where the latter showed him some characteristic on Umalat, presenting him as a person "sympathizing militants."

"I don't know who had compiled that characteristic, but I'm sure that my son had never been a member of bandit formations," said the father.

It proved impossible to get any comments from the above president's representative.

Meanwhile, the search of the missing persons continues. "The investigation goes on," Akhmed Kotiev, Secretary of the Security Council of Ingushetia, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"President of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Evkurov has charged the Republic's General Public Prosecutor Yuri Turygin to deal with this case," said Kotiev and added that Mr Turygin had already met relatives of Bersanov and Ugurchiev.