Itanagar/Dibrugarh, Oct. 12: Suspected NSCN (Isak-Muivah) militants abducted 16 Congress activists from Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh last night, fanning fears in the area ahead of tomorrow’s Assembly elections in the state.

Sources said heavily armed militants barged into Chanu, Longsam and Chattong villages under Kanubari circle in two groups, abducted 16 Congress supporters, including the party’s block president Abu Wangpan, at gunpoint and whisked them away to Mon district in neighbouring Nagaland. The villages are located on the Arunachal Pradesh-Nagaland border.

Tirap and adjoining Changlang, both Naga-dominated districts, have bases of the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the NSCN.

Tirap district superintendent of police Anil Shukla said the administration was looking into these reports. “We are investigating the case. Whether militant groups are behind (the abductions) cannot be said at this juncture.”

He said operations were on and three NSCN (I-M) cadres had been arrested from Pukha village under Longding police station in the district this afternoon. He said the militants were trying to sneak into Arunachal Pradesh from Nagaland in a bid to disrupt polls.

Sources said the abducted Congress workers were supporters of Newlai Tingkhatra, the Kanubari constituency candidate who has been representing the seat for the past 10 years and is also the environment and forest minister in the Dorjee Khandu-led Arunachal Pradesh government. The constituency shares its boundary with Assam and Nagaland.

Speaking to this correspondent, Tingkhatra confirmed the abductions but refused to give details. “All that I can say is that some of our men have been missing since last evening and we fear abduction. As to who could have abducted them and why, I do not know. We have taken up the matter with the administration. I cannot say anything beyond that,” he said.

On October 3, the NSCN (I-M) had allegedly abducted five Congressmen, including the village chief, from Langhua Basti, which is contiguous to today’s abduction sites, in Kanubari and taken them to Lakhunbasti in Nagaland.

All the five were “released” last evening and returned to their respective families. Police had registered a case in this regard on October 9.

Sources in Khonsa, the district headquarters of Tirap, said Tingkhatra was served an extortion note of Rs 3 crore by the NSCN (I-M) a couple of months ago, reportedly asking the minister to pay the money before the elections.

“However, the minister refused to pay after which the NSCN (I-M) threatened to disrupt his campaigning in the constituency,” the source said.

Tirap is a “disturbed area” where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is in force.

A senior police official said, “It is not that the security forces remain a mute spectator to what is being done by the NSCN in the district. Despite a resource crunch, security forces often carry out operations in the district.”

The 19 Assam Rifles had apprehended NSCN (I-M) cadre Jupha Sungam from Zedue village under Longding circle in the district during one such operation on October 5. “We have some information from the arrested rebel that the NSCN (I-M) is trying to influence the elections,” the police official said.