Guwahati, Feb 2: Security forces have launched operations against National Socialist Council of Nagaland (K-Yung Aung) after three road construction workers were allegedly abducted by the militant group from Longding district in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, official sources confirmed.
The operations have been launched in areas bordering Myanmar in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, where NSCN (K-YA) militants have been active for several months, allegedly carrying out extortion activities.
Longding superitendent of police V.H. Meena confirmed on Wednesday that three construction workers were abducted by NSCN(K-YA) militants from Pumao in Longding district on Monday.
“However, one of the workers, identified as Banphua Wangpan, who is a resident of Longding, was released from their captivity on Tuesday. It is suspected that the motive behind the abduction might be ransom,” the police official said.
Official sources said that the workers were engaged in the construction of the Pumao Langkhow Road and were residing at a camp site from where they were abducted.
The other two abducted workers, who are still held captive by the militant outfit, have been identified as Hiren Konch and Ramasish Mahato.
Sources further informed that the militants took away the mobile phones and vehicle keys from the other workers who were at the camp as a result of which they had to walk several kilometres to the nearest police station to inform the police about the abduction on Tuesday evening.
This is not the first time that road contractors have been abducted by militants from Arunachal Pradesh.
“Earlier, many similar abductions have taken place in the state even as the kidnapped persons are released in lieu of extortion money,” a source said.
Three districts of Arunachal Pradesh – Tirap, Changlang and Longding, have been a hotbed of militancy with the area frequented by militant outfits and used as a transit route to reach their hideouts in neighbouring Myanmar.
