Police and local people said about 15 armed men broke into the leaders' houses in Gargaiacharri village under Sadar upazila early in the morning and searched for them. But failing to trace any of them at their houses, the armed group abducted their family members and relatives.

The miscreants first picked up and assembled the victims at a place and then took them away at gunpoint.

The abducted people include Diganta Dewan, Shusanta Dewan, Nigan Chakma, Shantimoy Dewan, Motoram Dewan, Sudarshan Chakma, Pritimoy Chakma, Chirojoti Chakma, Gopal Krishna Chakma, Babul Chakma and Shankar Chakma.

Shanghamitra Dewan, 60, father of Ilira Dewan, who is general secretary of the UPDF-backed Hill Women's Federation, and village 'Karbari' (headman) Bhabatosh Dewan are among the abducted.

The anti-peace accord UPDF blamed the pro-accord PCJSS for the incident. The peace accord was signed in 1997, bringing an end to two decades of bush war in the hill tracts.

Gargaicharri is known as a UPDF stronghold and the abduction is the first such incident in the area allegedly involving the PCJSS.

The entire area is now tense and police and army are on the vigil.

The law enforcers and troops are checking all vehicles passing through the main roads of the district town.

In separate press statements, the district unit of the UPDF and Hill Women's Federation condemned the incident and demanded immediate and unconditional release of the abducted people.

The UPDF statement was signed by Sushil Chakma and the other was signed by Antarika Chakma, office secretary of the central committee of the federation.