ITANAGAR, MAY 26 : The Gram Panchayat chairperson of Kothung Village, Lazu circle, Tirap Khilang Hangphuk who was reportedly abducted by suspected NSCN-KYA militant on gun point from his house on 20th May 2022 has been released on Wednesday afternoon.
A reliable source informs that the. Khilang Hangphuk, Gram Panchayat Chairperson (GPC) of Kothung Village, Tirap, who was kidnapped at gunpoint by cadres of NSCN from his house on 20th May 2022 between 3 AM-4 AM. The abducted GPC was taken across the Indo-Myanmar border in Myanmar. The individual was mentally harassed and pressured for non-payment of the self-imposed house tax and indent tax, by the NSCN faction. He returned back unharmed. The sources said.
After 5 days the GPC Khilang Hangphuk was released from captivity and the individual returned back to his village on 25th May 2022. The villagers of Sanliam, Lonyan, Laju and Kothung village in Tirap District openly opposed the harassment, abduction and demands of NSCN faction and carried out protest rallies in their respective villages wherein all the village appointments and a large number of villagers participated. During the protest, the villagers got together and displayed various placards like “No Abduction, No Insurgency, We want peace”.
Protests were organized by the local populace who were outraged by the atrocities, emotional and financial pressure imposed on them by the banned underground outfits. The protest was against the recent abduction of the Gram Panchayat Chairperson (GPC) of Kothung Village, Tirap, the sources said.
Recently massive protests were witnessed in several parts of Tirap, Longding and Changlang district of state which are infected by militant activities.
The Persistent and successful effort of security forces and paramilitary forces in the area including the 6 Assam Rifles Khonsa, local police and civil administration to thwart and squash nefarious activities of these banned outfits has given courage and confidence to villagers in standing up against such atrocities done by the outfits. The locals now want peace and tranquility and development in view of the emergence of technology.
The New Kothung village is one of the border villages along the boundary pillar (BP-163), the road leading to the village is very bad and due to porous international border the militant activities are observed and the militants feel safe. The release was possible due to intervention of civil societies, police, and security forces. The sources said.
No FIR has been received however the local police is conducting enquiry/ The sources added.
