Three coal miners abducted by armed 'rebels' in Arunachal Pradesh

Guwahati: Security forces on Monday launched a massive combing operations on Assam-Arunachal Pradesh inter-state border areas after suspected NSCN (K-YA) and Ulfa (Independent) militants abducted at least three coal miners from a coal mine in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Informing that security forces compelled militants to release at least two coal miners, security sources said that the incident took place on Sunday in the Phinbiro area of Changlang near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh interstate border, an area that serves as a transit route for insurgent groups with its proximity to Myanmar.

Security sources said that a group of seven armed rebels abducted the workers at gunpoint and transported them in a dumper to the remote jungle area of old Longtoi in Changlang district

The victims were identified as miners from the no. 14 coal mines, locally known as khadan. Police suspect the miners were kidnapped as the outfits had not been paid "extortion money".

Three of the abducted workers have been identified as Gyan Thapa from Lekhapani Hawaipathar village, Lekhak Bora and Chandan Narzary from Ledo, all residents of Assam's Tinsukia district.

Security forces, including the local police, the Army, and Assam Rifles, have launched a search operation to trace the abducted workers. As abducted workers hail from Assam, an Additional Superintendent of Police, Bibhash Das, was also assigned from Assam police to monitor the case to ensure the safe release of the miners.

Though there were reports of three missing workers, security sources said that they are yet to ascertain the exact number of workers abducted by militants.

Pointing out that initially the militants had taken 10 miners in custody but seven of them were released after some time, security sources said that illegal mining of coals in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh have been a major area of concern for the security agencies.