ITANAGAR: A number of youths from Arunachal Pradesh who were recruited into the militant group United Tani Army (UTA) and taken to Myanmar for armed training were reportedly cheated by their recruiters, police reports have shown. The Arunachal Pradesh Police have since located some of them and are now in the process of rehabilitating and reintegrating them into society.
As per a media report, one such youth in his mid-20s, named ‘X’ for security purposes, was among those who were misled to join the group. X was recruited by Tana Hasi, who was arrested earlier this year on charges of luring unemployed youths into the UTA with false assurances of better prospects.
Facing economic struggle and the temptation of a secure living, X thought he was entering an opportunity for a better life. He joined up, unaware of what lay in store for him on the other side of the border.
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X and two others were escorted through Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district and into Myanmar in late 2023. They were taken to a training camp allegedly run by the NSCN (IM) group, led by Absolom Rockwang. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier chargesheeted Rockwang for his suspected involvement in the 2019 Khonsa massacre, during which 11 individuals, including MLA Tirong Aboh, were killed. There are also reports that UTA chairman Anthony Doke has close associations with Rockwang, making the group’s operations more complex.
Within a few days of training, X’s story turned dark. The UTA agents sent him to Myanmar’s war-torn Sagaing province, compelling him to battle along with the junta army of Myanmar against pro-democracy People’s Defence Force (PDF). His phone was taken away from him, blocking all access to the outside world. Caught up in an alien war with no knowledge of the politics or parties involved in the country, X was fighting a war he did not support or understand.
As the war intensified and war’s bitter truths began to catch up, X became desperate to flee. Taking advantage of the moment in November 2024, he broke away from the militant organization. With just a few kilograms of rice and a few snacks for sustenance, he set off on a risk-filled seven-day trek across deep jungle country until he reached the Ukhrul district of Manipur.
When he arrived in Manipur, X was able to get in touch with individuals back in Arunachal Pradesh, who helped him return home. Survival and escape, he stated, was nothing less than miraculous.
Now safely home, X is cooperating with security agencies and has shown deep remorse at his connection with the UTA. His experience is a grim reminder of how extremist outfits manipulate vulnerable youths with false hope, entrapping them in foreign and risky conflicts.
The Arunachal Pradesh Police and other agencies persist in their endeavor to locate and rescue more such youths while providing for their reintegration into the mainstream.
