No trace of Apang’s son

The police still do not have any clues about the whereabouts of Getem Apang, the 20-year-old son of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister...

The police still do not have any clues about the whereabouts of Getem Apang, the 20-year-old son of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Gegong Apang, who was kidnapped from the heart of Itanagar on Wednesday evening.

“We are still looking for concrete leads into the abduction of Getem,” said Hibu Tamang, Superintendent of Police, Papum Pare district, where Itanagar is located. He added that intensive search operations were being conducted in the forests and villages near Holongi on the border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Getem, along with music teacher Narendra Rai, was kidnapped by a group suspected to comprise about four persons near the Donyi Polo Music School. His Hyundai Tuscon was found abandoned near Holongi on the Itanagar-Gohpur road the next morning.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile, the former chief minister’s family on Thursday received a telephone call from the abductors who demanded a huge sum of money for Getem’s release.

“The caller did not identify himself. The abductors have also not set any deadline or specified a location where the money should be paid,” said Papum Pare Deputy Commissioner Bidul Tayeng.

The Arunachal Pradesh Government under Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who can provide clues to help recover Getem, official sources in Itanagar said.

However, the Assam Police suspect that the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) is behind the abduction.

Story continues below this ad

The outlawed group has a presence in the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, and though it is currently observing a ceasefire with the Government, it is known to raise money through extortions and abductions.