HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Feb 18: In a significant development, at least 10 coal miners working at the coal mine in the Finboro area of Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, were reportedly abducted on Sunday by suspected cadres of The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I).
Speaking on the incident, Tinsukia Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhijit Gurav stated that the abduction occurred in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
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“We are yet to confirm the exact number of people abducted, but it has been confirmed that some individuals working in the Finboro area were taken. It’s unclear whether workers from Assam were among those abducted. We hope to have more clarity soon,” said Tinsukia SP.
Further, sources claimed that a group of suspected militants, consisting of seven members, abducted the workers at gunpoint and transported them in a dumper to Old Longtoi, a remote area in Arunachal Pradesh. One of the abducted individuals has been identified as Gyan Thapa.
“The security forces have initiated a large-scale search operation to locate the abducted workers,” the sources added.
However, the motive behind the abduction by the militant groups is yet to be ascertained.
“Tirap, Longding, and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh have been heavily affected by insurgent activities due to their proximity to Myanmar. Many militants, including ULFA (I) members, seek refuge in Myanmar camps. After committing crimes, they easily flee to their camps through jungle routes,” explained a police source.
“This is not the first abduction incident. Numerous abduction cases have previously occurred in Changlang,” the source added.
