A high-stakes counter-terror operation in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district culminated in the arrest of an NSCN-IM leader and recovery of lethal weaponry, thwarting a dastardly plot. Friday’s collaborative raid by Assam Rifles, STF, and Longding police marked a pivotal win against militancy.
Pinpoint intelligence directed the forces to Tising vicinity near Jua village, where they seized self-declared Captain Ponglem Wangpan (35), overseer of a four-man infiltration team from NSCN-IM’s Isaac-Muivah faction.
The bounty from the search was substantial: 5.56 mm INSAS rifle with one magazine, 9 mm pistol with magazine, 18 cartridges for the rifle, and two for the pistol. Their agenda—abduction or murder of select targets—threatened stability in this sensitive frontier outpost.
The timely intervention derailed the scheme entirely. An FIR now anchors the case at Longding station, with investigations gaining momentum amid widespread manhunts for the trio at large.
On another front, Namsai authorities confiscated 133 grams of suspected heroin worth seven lakhs, apprehending a female trafficker under NDPS Act. Arunachal’s forces are scripting a narrative of resilience amid persistent challenges.