Guwahati: Two days before the counting of votes, heavily armed suspected NSCN-IM terrorists on Tuesday shot dead National People’s Party (NPP) MLA Tirong Aboh, his son and nine others in broad day light at Bogapani in militant infested Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh. The militants also set ablaze his car.
Mr Aboh was on his way back from Dibrugarh in Assam when heavily armed Naga rebels stopped his convoy of three vehicles near Bogapani, security sources said, adding that one of the cars was reportedly driven by his son. The militants, who were all in combat fatigue, opened indiscriminate fire from point blank range on the vehicles, security sources said, adding that militants also searched the vehicles before leaving the place unchallenged.
The incident has raised serious question over the role of Assam Rifles, which is deployed in the area to maintain law and order and enforcing the grounds rule of the cease-fire agreement between NSCN factions and the Government of India.
Pointing out that free-run of heavily armed Naga rebels of various factions is very common in the area, security sources said that Tirap and Changlang districts have become the safe sanctuary for Naga rebels
Aboh represented the Khonsa-West seat in Arunachal Pradesh and was contesting the Assembly election from the seat. Expressing deep anguish over the killing of a legislator of his party, former minister and leader of NPP Waii Kumar told this newspaper that it seems to be a “political murder”.
“Mr Tirong was an influential leader of his area and his victory in the ensuing election was almost certain. We want a high level enquiry into his killing to unearth the conspiracy,” said Mr Kumar while pointing out that this incident has raised many question over the peace and tranquility of the frontier state. He feared and warned that militant outfit should not be used to achieve political mileage.
Union minister Kiren Rijiju who confirmed the killing of at least 11 person in ambush. “I am shocked and saddened by the brutal attack and tragic killing of MLA Tirong Aboh and his son. Strongest action will be taken against those responsible for such dastardly attack.”
Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma also condemned the brutal attack and urged Union home minister Rajnath Singh to take action against the culprits. “The NPP strongly condemns the brutal attack on Tirong Aboh and his son and his security personnel,” Mr Sangma, who was on his way to New Delhi to attend the meeting of National Democratic Alliance, said in a tweet on the social media.
He further said, “The NPP is extremely shocked and saddened by the news of the death of its MLA Tirong Aboh (Arunachal Pradesh) and his family. We condemn the brutal attack and urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against those responsible for such attack.”
Meanwhile, security sources in the frontier state told this newspaper that both the faction of NSCN was not happy with Tirong, who was not only defying their dictates but also raising voice against the terrorist outfits. The attack came close on the heels of killing of another NPP worker and Tirong’s supporter at a village in March this year. The suspected NSCN-IM terrorists had assaulted Jaley Anna and his friend Kham Nai Abhi, both NPP workers, at Kheti village in Tirap district. Jaley Anna died on the spot.
