Staff Reporter
CHANGLANG, 19 Feb: Efforts are underway to trace three coal miners who were allegedly abducted by insurgent groups in the early hours of 18 February from an illegal coal mine in Phinbiro village in Changlang district.
The three miners have been identified as Gyan Thapa, Lekhak Bora and Chandan Narzary – all from Tinsukia district of Assam.
Changlang SP K Padu informed on Monday that both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam Police, along with the special task force and the Assam Rifles are conducting search operations to trace the abducted miners.
When asked about the possible involvement of insurgent groups NSCN (K-YA) and ULFA (I) in the abduction, the SP said, “We cannot say with confirmation as yet.”
Similar cases of abduction by insurgent groups have been reported earlier in the district.
On 1 April, 2019, an employee of Udipta Energy Oil Company, Kashyap Boruah, was kidnapped from Innao in Diyun circle of Changlang district. Some of the accused involved in the kidnapping were key members of the Arunachal Pradesh Deprived People’s Front, headed by one Nake Chakma.
On 21 December, 2020, two employees of the Quippo Oil and Gas Infra Ltd’s drilling site in Kumchaikha near Innao in Changlang district were kidnapped by the United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) or ULFA (I). The two employees were later released in April, 2021.
In April 2020, a businessman from Kharsang in Changlang district was kidnapped for ransom by suspected members of the
Eastern Naga National Government. He was later rescued by a team of police and security forces.
On 26 March, 2022, one minor was abducted by two minors, who were identified as members of the NSCN (IM). A joint team of the Changlang police, the 18 Garhwal Rifles and the Assam Police managed to rescue the abductee the next day.
