Arunachal Pradesh BJP leader abducted by suspected militants

Amidst simmering Lok Sabha Election preparations, a Gram Panchayat Chairman (GPC) was abducted by an armed militant group around 1 am today, April 17.

Authorities reported that Sangam Wangsu (50 years old), also a member of the BJP, was kidnapped from his home at gunpoint. The motive behind the abduction is currently under investigation, according to the police.

The development comes hours after banned militant outfit NSCN-KYA allegedly threatened voters to support NPP candidate in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Reports are surfacing from Longding Pumao assembly constituency, located in the insurgency-ridden district of Longding, Arunachal Pradesh, about voters being allegedly forced to support a specific candidate under threat from a militant group.

Leaflets bearing these supposed threats are being distributed in villages within the constituency. Furthermore, armed militants, reportedly linked to NSCN-KYA, have allegedly been sighted in villages including Niuasa, Longkhaw, Mintong and Longphong within the same constituency.

These militants are allegedly intimidating local residents with firearms, pressurising them to vote for Thangwang Wangham, the candidate for the National People’s Party (NPP).

Also read: Arunachal: Section 144 imposed in Lower Siang ahead of elections