Security forces arrest wanted NSCN (IM) militant

A NSCN(IM) militant wanted in

connection with the killing of a former MLA and 10 others in Arunachal Pradesh was arrested by security forces from Longding district, an official said.

Personnel of the Indian Army in a joint operation with district police apprehended the rebel identified as self- styled 'Sergeant Major' Puman Wangsu from a forest near Longphong village in the district, Kohima-based Defence spokesman Lt Col Sumit Kumar Sharma informed.

Based on a specific intelligence input, the joint team launched an operation in the forest located close to the village.

During search operation on Tuesday last, the troops apprehended the cadre while trying to flee from the location, the spokesman said.

 

The apprehended cadre was handed over to Longding police station for further investigations, the spokesman added.

Forty-two-year-old Tirong Aboh, the MLA representing Khonsa West assembly constituency along with his 20-year-old son Loggem Aboh and Wangngoi Hakhun and eight others were killed in an ambush near Bogapani, around 20-km from Khonsa, the headquarters of Tirap district on May 21 last year.

The MLA along with others was on his way to Khonsa from Dibrugarh in Assam in four vehicles when suspected NSCN (IM) militants stopped the convoy and fired upon.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) had registered a case on June 10 after the state government handed over the case to the agency.

The NIA first arrested a self-styled 'Lieutenant' of the NSCN (IM) Yangte Josaham from Dimapur in August last year.

Josaham is the area commander of the outfit for Longding.

In another breakthrough, security forces arrested self-styled Corporal of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Khaplang-Kitovi) from Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh on May 12 last.

The militant, who was apprehended during a joint operation near Sankha Havi on the district by Assam Rifles and Changlang district police, has been identified as Tonlang Pangtha, the spokesman said.

Security forces also recovered a 9 mm pistol with magazine, nine rounds of live ammunition and one mobile phone from the arrested rebel.

The apprehended cadre along with the recovered items has been handed over to Changlang police station for further investigations, the spokesman added.