Dibrugarh: Security forces have arrested an active self-styled lieutenant of the NSCN-K (Ang Mai) faction following a joint operation in the Votnu area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district on Friday.
The insurgent was identified as 30-year-old Pigang Gangsa, a resident of Votnu village.
According to a security official, the operation led to the recovery of a 7.65 mm pistol, one magazine and six live rounds of ammunition from Gangsa’s possession.
Security forces have stepped up counter-insurgency operations across eastern Arunachal Pradesh in recent months, with several cadres linked to different Naga insurgent factions being apprehended.
A security source said extortion and kidnapping remain major security concerns in the Tirap-Longding-Changlang (TLC) region, alleging that insurgent groups operating in the area use such activities to raise funds.
“These groups, some of which maintain camps in Myanmar, are involved in extortion and kidnapping to generate funds,” the source said.
The TLC districts of Tirap, Longding and Changlang have remained a focus of security agencies because of the presence and activities of various Naga insurgent groups. The region has witnessed repeated counter-insurgency operations involving different NSCN factions.
Residents have also expressed concern over the continued presence of underground groups in the area. A resident of Changlang said the region has historically lagged behind other parts of Arunachal Pradesh in terms of development, although infrastructure and other development activities have gradually increased.
“Development is slowly reaching the region, but the presence of underground groups remains a major concern,” the resident said.
The strategic importance of the TLC region is further heightened by its proximity to the international border with Myanmar, where several Northeast-based insurgent groups are believed to maintain bases or hideouts.