Tezpur: A small time businessman and his employee were kidnapped by suspected ANLA militants from Maujuli area in Assam's Sonitpur district, police said today.

A group of four suspected Adivasi National Liberation Army (ANLA) militants entered the the house of the grocery store owner near Majuligarh Tea Estate and abducted him and his employee who were sleeping in the same room last night,

Sonitpur superintendent of police Sanjukta Parasar said. The businessman was identified as Naba Sarma and his employee as Sandu Newar, Parasar said.

A search operation was launched to rescue the two, the SP said.

The ANLA was suspected to be behind the abduction as the militant outfit was active in the area, the SP said, adding no ransom note or phone call was received by the families so far.

Some local people claimed that Sarma had received an extortion notice from the ANLA some time ago but had not made any payment so far.

Earlier on January 16 last, the ANLA had abducted Pabhoi Tea Estate manager Bharat Singh Rathore before releasing him five days later at Nawmorah along the Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border.