Itanagar, Sept. 1: Arunachal Pradesh police arrested four persons, including a self-styled major of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim, for allegedly running an extortion racket from inside the capital complex here.

Confirming the arrests today, the superintendent of police, Papum Pare, Hibu Tamang, said a joint police team of Itanagar and Naharlagun arrested Nokngam Wangsa, 36, the NSCN (I-M) “major”, Wangnam Nokte, 50, a former Assam Regiment jawan, Janlung Wangpan, 25, who was about to join the NCSN(I-M) this month and Oyar Panor, 30, a peon at the civil secretariat in Itanagar, on Friday.

The team, led by sub-inspector L.R. Rana, intercepted Nokte’s white Chevrolet (number AS/06G02418) in which all four were travelling, at Kankarnallah and arrested them at 5.30am on Friday.

They were on their way to Guwahati.

Tamang said Wangsa is an inhabitant of Longphong village in Tirap district and used to stay in the outfit’s headquarters in Dimapur.

Wangpan, also from Longphong, and Nokte came to Itanagar last Tuesday to serve extortion notices to the ministers, MLAs and government officials. Nokte retired from the Assam Regiment in 2002 and was working as a contractor in the Longding area of Tirap district.

Panor, a local resident addicted to opium, came in touch with all three of them in May this year during his visit to Longding. He used to act as a linkman in the extortion racket.

Police also seized Rs 1,10,000 in cash from Nokte, besides two mobile phone sets.

Wangsa contacted Panor, who accompanied him to the house of a former minister, on Wednesday and Thursday and demanded money.

Police refused to divulge the minister’s name. They were remanded in 14 days’ police custody