Pisi Zauing
KHARSANG, Feb 24:
In yet another setback to underground elements, the Jairampur Battalion of Assam Rifles apprehended NSCN (R) cadre identified as Samtit Kitnal from Kharsang today. One mobile phone, two extortion notes and five grams of brown sugar has been recovered from his possession.
Kitnal was involved in many threatening and extortion cases and used to operate in Miao and Kharsang administrative circles of Changlang District. ‘The arrest is a powerful jolt against the underground group who are operating recklessly and targeting the constitutional framework of the state,’ asserted the Assam Rifles.
During the interrogation, the cadre revealed that he was an accomplice of SS Captain Phangran Jugli alias Liberal, an Area Commander of the same outfit group. Samtit Kitnal further confessed that he was with the outfit for past several months and was active in Kharsang under Rajapio Bokam Wangri.
The arrest is not only a big blow to the outfit but a major relief to the people of Kharsang area, stated AR in its official communiqué while adding that the cadres of NSCN (R) have been misleading the local populace through various black propaganda of being hand-in-glove with the security forces.
Meanwhile, the local based organizations and individuals have applauded Assam Rifles for apprehending the cadre.
Earlier, on February 21 the same battalion nabbed an NSCN (IM) operative identified as Nongpion who was carrying out extortion activities in Kharsang, Miao and Jagun area. The security forces recovered a pistol with three live bullets, two sets of uniform and few extortion notes along with contact address and numbers of businessmen. Later, he also divulged that during demonetisation he exchanged huge sum of money and also worked under Captain Ashang Tangkhul –NSCN (IM) at Miao. On December 20 last year, he confessed to firing five rounds in the air to terrorize people at Namphai.