Three NSCN-KYA rebels killed in Arunachal, abducted worker rescued

Itanagar: An abducted construction worker was rescued and three militants of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (KYA) faction were killed during a fierce gun battle between security forces and extremists in Arunachal Pradesh's Longding district, a defence spokesman said on Monday.

Two construction workers were kidnapped on April 25 from the Pangchao area in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, according to a statement issued by Nagaland-based defence spokesman Lt Col Amit Shukla.

Based on specific intelligence inputs, troops of the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and district police launched a massive joint operation in the Pangchao area on Sunday.

"Contact was established and, in the ensuing firefight, three cadres of the NSCN (KYA) group were neutralised," Lt Col Shukla said in the statement.

Four automatic weapons, ammunition, and other war-like materials were recovered from the area, he said.

One of the abducted construction workers was successfully rescued during the operation, and a search operation is ongoing to locate the second missing worker, the spokesman added.

Longding Superintendent of Police Dekio Gumja Tamin confirmed the incident.

He said that three bodies of suspected militants were retrieved from the site and later taken to Mon district in Nagaland by the Nagaland Police, as the encounter site lies between Longwa in Nagaland and Pongchau in Arunachal Pradesh.