Suspected NSCN (K-YA) militants abduct 3 road construction workers from Arunachal's Longding

Itanagar, Feb 3: Three road construction workers were abducted by suspected UG cadres allegedly belonging to the Naga militant group, NSCN (K-YA), from Pumao area in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh. The sensational abduction incident took place on Monday night, police said Wednesday.

The three labourers, engaged in construction of a road in between Longkhaw and Pumao under Longding district, were abducted from their camp at the construction site and taken towards Nagaland.

However, one of the abductees returned and search for two others is on, a police spokesman said.

"On the night of 31 January 2022 around 9.30 pm, a group of 5-6 suspected unknown UG cadres allegedly belonging to NSCN (K-YA) cadres came to the camp of labourers presently engaged in the road construction located in between Longkhaw and Pumao villages (both under Pumao circle) and abducted three persons and were taken towards Nagaland," Longding SP Vikram Harimohan Meena said.

Among the trio, one Banphua Wangpan, a resident of Longkhaw village, Longding district has returned on Tuesday, while the two others - Hiren Konch, a JCB operator from neighbouring Assam and Ramasish Mahato from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal - are still under the captivity of the UG outfit, the SP said.

Security forces suspect that the motive behind the abduction might be for ransom.

In the meantime, the security forces have launched a massive operation to trace out the abducted persons.

Condemning the abduction of the three 'hapless' workers, Arunachal East MP Tapir Gao said at a time when the Centre and the Naga outfits engaged in ceasefire, such kinds of incidence should not happen.

He requested the UG group to release the abductees immediately.

"As the Government of india is having peace talk with NSCN(IM) and other organisations, this sort of kidnappings, extortion, and other illegal activities should not take place. They (labourers) are engaged with others, it's a sad news and I request the underground groups tio release them immediately," Gao said.