GUWAHATI: An “area commander” of the insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) was apprehended along with arms and ammunition by a joint team of Army, Assam Rifles and Assam Police on Sunday.
The arrested rebel, self-styled “major” Anok Wangsa, is the NSCN-IM’s area commander of Longding-Charaideo-Mon regions. Security forces said he was the deputy of self-styled NSCN-IM “major general” Absolom Tangkhul who was believed to be involved in the killings of Arunachal Pradesh MLA Tirong Aboh and ten others.
Accompanied by his son, personal security officers and party workers, Aboh was travelling to Khonsa in Arunachal from Assam’s Dibrugarh when the militants ambushed their vehicles. The National Investigation Agency is probing the case but the security forces sniffed the hand of NSCN-IM in the attack.
“Anok was constantly threatening locals and demanding money from them. The local population has borne the brunt of this behaviour of NSCN-IM. Their cadres, in total contempt of ceasefire ground rules, are moving around outside their designated camps intimidating traders and contractors and continue to collect unauthorised money for personal gains of a few. The group has also attempted to disrupt peace in the neighbouring districts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh,” a defence statement said.