Members of the Manipur University Teachers Association, students and staff are on a day-long dharna to demand the release of the vice-chancellor and the registrar of the university, abducted by unidentified militants on Monday.

The vice-chancellor and registrar of the Imphal-based Manipur University went missing on Monday afternoon. Security agencies believe the duo may have been abducted for ransom by any of the 18-odd militant groups active in the state.

Vice Chancellor N Bijoy Singh and Registrar R K Ranjan Singh were in their respective offices till Monday afternoon, but neither has returned home since then.

Strangely, no one seems to have seen the duo either walking out of the university campus or being forcibly taken away.

The abduction for ransom theory has gained ground since Ranjan Singh's driver is also missing since Monday evening.

State police authorities have also refused comment on their disappearance saying no formal complaint has been lodged as yet. No underground group has claimed the abduction so far.

Worried academics and staff of the Manipur University held different meetings on Wednesday.

No one has a clue why the two top officials of the university could have been abducted, but there is speculation that the militants' may be eyeing the first installment of the first tranche of big funding that the university is likely to receive in the coming months after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh upgraded the institution to a Central University at a special convocation in November.