GUWAHATI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the May 21 massacre of 11 people, including former Arunachal Pradesh MLA Tirong Aboh, has released photographs and names of five insurgents and announced cash rewards seeking information about them.
The probe agency issued a lookout notice against “kilonser” (minister) Ravi Wangno, self-styled “major general” Absolon Tangkhul, self-styled “lieutenant colonel” Apem, self-styled “captain” Ellie Ketok and self-styled “captain” Victor Tangkhul.
The NIA announced cash rewards of Rs.3 lakh each for Absolon Tangkhul and Victor Tangkhul and Rs.2 lakh each for Ravi Wangno, Ellie Ketok and Apem.
They are all members of insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), widely known as NSCN-IM. The outfit has been spearheading peace talks with the Centre towards finding a solution to the vexed Naga political problem.
Wangno and Ketok hail from Arunachal’s Tirap district, Absolon Tangkhul and Victor Tangkhul from Ukhrul district of Manipur and Apem from Nagaland.
Khonsa West MLA Tirong Aboh, his son Longgem, two personal security officers and some workers of his National People’s Party were among the 11 people who were killed in an ambush laid by the militants. The victims were travelling in a four-vehicle convoy from Assam’s Dibrugarh to Khonsa when they had come under indiscriminate fire from the militants at Bogapani in Tirap district.
The police had suspected the involvement of NSCN-IM in the incident but the rebel group, which operates out of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal and Myanmar, denied it had any role.
Aboh was killed just two days ahead of the declaration of election results.