At least 10 labourers working in a coal mine near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh state border have been abducted by a group of militants, according to a Hindustan Times report.
As per the initial police investigation, they were abducted by the “suspected members of the banned organisations National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and the United Liberation Front of Assam Independent (ULFA-I),” it was reported.
According to the report, police said a total of 14 labourers were working at Finboro Coalmine, and a group of suspected militants abducted them on Saturday night from Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district, near the Assam border, however, four of them managed to escape.
“At around 3am, a group of militants consisting of seven armed men held the labourers at gunpoint. 10 labourers were taken in a dumper to old Longtoi, a remote area in Arunachal Pradesh,” the co-workers of the abducted labourers were reported as saying.
Tinsukia superintendent of police (SP) Gurav Abhijit Dilip was reported to have said that they are yet to confirm how many people were abducted by the militants.
“Arunachal Pradesh Police are investigating the matter, and we are supporting them. In the initial investigation, it has been found that some Assam residents are amongst the kidnapped individuals,” HT quoted him as saying on Sunday.
According to the officials of Arunachal Pradesh Police, additional forces have been called for the rescue operation. However, it was reported that no demand from the militant groups has come yet.
Officials reportedly said that similar incidents took place in that area in the past, and labourers were released later.