Killing slur casts on NSCN IM
Source: The Sangai Express / TNN
Silchar, January 03 2012:
A suspected militant who was arrested in connection with the abduction and brutal killing of two senior officials of a private cement company and a public sector mineral corporation respectively has told police that NSCN (IM) militants were involved in the crime.
Barson Ronghang (27), who was nabbed from a place near the Assam-Meghalaya border in Dima Hasao district on December 30, is now being interrogated in the custody of Haflong police station.
A senior police officer in Haflong, the headquarters of Dima Hasao district on Monday, said his other accomplice, Chandra Fanchu, is on the run.
Police is looking for him.
Ronghang, during interrogation, told police that he and Fanchu helped NSCN (IM) militants to abduct Col (Retd) Jatindar Singh Sandhu (62), the general manager of the Umrangshu unit of the private sector Jaypee Cement Limited and Ramen Sharma, deputy manager of state-owned Assam Mineral Development Corporation, from their offices situated at 18 Kilo locality near Umrangshu on November 25 last year.
A source said Ronghang and Fanchu collected Rs 50 lakh from the authorities of the said companies as ransom for releasing the officials.
Ronghang revealed that 10 armed cadres of NSCN (IM) whisked away Sandhu and Sharma at gunpoint with their help.
The duo was later killed on the second week of December.
Their bodies were recovered from a jungle near Umrangshu on December 22, nearly 10 days after their killing.
The police officer added that it's yet to be ascertained what prompted the militants to kill the officials.
A source said while most militant outfits in Dima Hasao have either surrendered or are under ceasefire agreement, NSCN (IM) and NSCN (Khaplang) are engaged in extortion drive in the district.
Naga rebel groups are under ceasefire agreement with the Centre in Nagaland.
The NSCN (IM) has been on a cease fire pact with the Government of India since August 1, 1997 .