ITANAGAR:
At least three road construction workers were kidnapped at gunpoint by the suspected National Socialist Council of Nagalim – Khaplang-Yung Aung (NSCN -K-YA) militants from Arunachal Pradesh and took them to neighbouring Nagaland, the police said on February 2.
Police said that one of the three captives was subsequently released and two others remained in the hideout of NSCN (K-YA). The person who was released was identified as Bangphua Wangpan, a resident of Langkhao village of Arunachal Pradesh.
Police officials said that Wangpan, Ramasish Mahato and Hiren Konch were engaged in the construction of the Pumao-Langkhow road in Longding district and were staying at a camp near the construction site from where the militants kidnapped them late on Tuesday evening. The other workers had to walk 5-6 km to inform the police about the abduction.
The security forces immediately launched a manhunt to nab the extremists and rescue the captives.
The villagers informed the police that the NSCN (K-YA) cadres are extorting money from businessmen for the past several months. Earlier, the militants had kidnapped many people including the construction workers in Arunachal Pradesh, but subsequently the militants released them after extorting money. IANS