BENGALURU: A 27-year-old member of a banned terrorist group, who was allegedly involved in an attack on armymen, has been nabbed by the National Intelligence Agency and Bengaluru city police here on M G Road on Saturday.
The arrested has been identified as Atoshe Chopey, who was working in the city from the past few days.
Police said, “Chopey is a member of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland led by S S Kaplang (NSCN-K) which is a banned terrorist group in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.”
According to NIA, Chopey is the prime accused in the terrorist attack on Assam Rifles personnel at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, Nagaland on March 26 this year.
An NIA official said, “He was detained from a lodge on M G Road and later arrested after confirmation of his identity. During preliminary interrogation, he has confessed his involvement in the crime. He was hiding using a false identity and working at local lodge with the assistance of his relatives.”
“Atoshe Chopey, hails from Zunheboto district of Nagaland and he was a part of a four- member team, which carried out the attack on an unarmed group of Assam Rifles personnel waiting for a bus at a bus-stop in Kohima. One personnel was killed and three were grievously injured. The attack marked the abrogation of long- standing ceasefire between NSCN(K) and the central government.
“The Central Government had entrusted the case to NIA on May 18, 2015, and NIA had taken up the case. NIA had arrested two hard-core NSCN (K) cadres KhekahoRochill (Self-styled Finance Secretary of NSCN (K) and Kisheto Ayem Self-styled Major, Town Commander of Kohima of NSCN (K) in the case along with Ranjit Thapa, who was the driver of the car which was used in the shoot-out in November. NIA investigators have been closely tracking the group of four absconding accused involved in the shoot-out and based on specific inputs developed Atoshe was tracked to a location near MG Road in Bengaluru,” NIA said.
The NIA said, “He was produced before the local Magistrate in Bengaluru and NIA will secure transit remand for producing him before NIA Special Judge in Dimapur in the coming days.”