In a welcome move, the security forces have asked the business community to not succumb to any extortion demand, threat or illegal taxation by any insurgent group in Tirap district. For years the various underground groups operating in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts have been carrying out extortion activities. Not only the business community, even government employees have to pay extortion money to the UG groups. For the first time, the security forces have made a public appeal to the business community not to pay extortion money.
It is going to be very interesting how the UG groups react to this. They will definitely try to put pressure on the business community to continue to pay extortion money to them. The security forces should ensure that the business community does not get caught in between the police and insurgents. Such a situation can be devastating for them. Today the problem of extortion is not limited to the TCL districts only. In many parts of the state, including in Itanagar capital region, the business community often has to pay extortion. Various groups in the guise of working for the people of the state indulge in extortion activities. The state police need to act against them too.