BREAKING: NSCN-IM ‘area commander’ held in MLA Tirong Aboh case
News Desk:
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Yangte Josaham, a self-styled lieutenant of NSCN-IM and area commander of the outfit in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district, from Dimapur in Nagaland on Friday in connection with the killing of Khonsa West MLA Tirong Aboh.
The 42-year-old Aboh, his 20-year-old son Loggem Aboh and party general secretary Wangngoi Hakhun, besides eight others, were killed in an ambush near Bogapani, around 20 km from the Tirap district headquarters of Khonsa in Arunachal Pradesh,after the four-vehicle convoy they were travelling in was stopped and heavily fired upon on May 21 this year.
The federal agency had registered a case under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25(1b) (a), 27 of the Arms Act and Sections 10,13 of UAPA Act on June 10 following the state government’s decision to hand over the case to NIA. The original case was registered by Arunachal police.
According to sources in NIA, based on reliable information, a joint team of NIA and military intelligence arrested the accused during a covert operation. “The accused has been taken to Guwahati,” the sources added.
Meanwhile, a highly-placed source told EastMojo, “The accused was part of group that launched the ambush killing the 11 persons.”
Earlier, the NIA had arrested two accused, Sethok Kangnong and Napong Jenpi alias Jenpi, for their involvement in the deadly attack.
It was during their interrogation that the involvement of Yangte came to light and since then he was under the radar, the sources said. “The investigation is on, hence, more details cannot be revealed at this point of time,” they added.
Earlier, in July this year, a joint team of army, Assam Rifles and Assam police arrested self-styled Major Anok Wangshu, area commander of NSCN-IM, claiming to be the mastermind in the planning and execution of the killing of MLA Aboh. EastMojo had exposed the discrepancies in the FIR filed and the press releaseissued on the arrest of Wangshu.
Sources in NIA refused to buy claims of Wangshu’s involvement in in the killing and did not apply for his custody.