[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 16 Sep: Extortion notes, write-ups on the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), and propaganda messages targeting the government are among the materials reportedly seized by the state police from four alleged members of the United Tani Army (UTA), who were arrested from various locations across the state.
These individuals had been serving extortion notices to businessmen and government officials. The UTA is the armed wing of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Taniland (NSCT).
The police revealed the names of the arrested individuals as Biri Ruja, self-styled vice chairman of the UTA, along with Tana Padang, Marli Ingo, and Hungsa Pansa. Ruja was arrested on 14 September from Banderdewa, while Padang and Pansa were apprehended from Longding, and Ingo from Itanagar on 15 September. The arrests were made in connection with an extortion case registered at the Nirjuli police station by a government official who had received an extortion notice demanding Rs 5 crore. Additionally, a prominent business house in Nirjuli received an extortion demand for Rs 5 lakh on 8 September.
The group had served extortion notices to four individuals, two in the Itanagar Capital Region, and one each in Basar and Pasighat. Those who received extortion notice include a business house and three senior government officials.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Chukhu Apa informed that the arrests were made based on human intelligence and technical surveillance.
“Our initial investigation indicates that the self-styled vice chairman of the UTA, Biri Ruja, was orchestrating these extortion activities. He was also active on social media and was directing UTA members on how to write against the government and stir up controversy regarding the SUMP issue,” Apa stated.
He added that more arrests are likely in the coming days. “We are broadening the scope of our investigation. We also appeal to the people of Arunachal to come forward and inform us if they have received any kind of extortion notice from this group,” he said.
Apa further claimed that the UTA is a weakened force, and that the public should not fear it. “Most of its operatives have either been arrested or have surrendered. Only the self-styled chairman Anthony Doke, and a few of his associates are currently based in Myanmar.
They do not have a proper camp and are reportedly taking shelter in an NSCN (IM) camp,” he added.
The case was handed over to a special investigation team (SIT) of the state police on 10 September. “After arresting Biri Ruja, we recovered his phone and interrogated him. Through that, we discovered he was in touch with Anthony Doke. We also gathered information about their cross-border movements and how they went to Myanmar for training,” said SIT SP Shivendu Bhushan.
He also appealed to the public to report any extortion notices received from the UTA to the local police or the SIT.
