GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - Eleven people, including a lawmaker and four of his family, were killed in an ambush by tribal separatists in the eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

Heavily armed militants fired automatic weapons at the five-vehicle convoy of Tirong Aboh, a member of the legislative assembly for the state seat of Khonsa, in the Tirap district near the border with Myanmar, the police official said.

“We are yet to ascertain the group responsible for the attack,” the police official, who declined to be named as he is not authorized to talk to the media, told Reuters.

The area where the ambush took place is very remote, making investigation of the attack difficult, the official said.

"Extremely shocked by unfortunate incident of killing of Khonsa MLA Tirong Aboh along with several others by insurgents," Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted bit.ly/2WUdAqU.

Attacks on Indian officials by separatist militias have declined in recent years, though dozens of groups still operate in north and eastern areas of the country.

In April, five people including a lawmaker from India’s ruling party were killed in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh when Maoist militants detonated a bomb as an entourage traveled back from a campaign appearance. </s> GUWAHATI — At least 11 persons, including Arunachal Pradesh legislator Tirong Aboh, were killed in an ambush by suspected Naga militants in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh May 20, police said.

Police said that Aboh and his family members were travelling from Dibrugarh in Assam to Khonsa, when their vehicle was ambushed by suspected NSCN (IM) militants at Bogapani in Tirap district, located on Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

Aboh, a sitting National People's Party MLA from Khonsa West constituency of the hill state, contested the recently held Assembly elections for a second term and received threats from the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Issak and Muivah (NSCN-IM) militants over this.

The police confirmed that Aboh had died, but refused to divulge details of the other victims.

Minister of state for Home Kiren Rijiju confirmed the number of killed to be 11 and condemned the incident.

"I'm shocked and saddened by the brutal attack and tragic killing of MLA Shri Tirong Aboh of Arunachal Pradesh, his family including 11 people. Strongest possible action will be taken against those responsible for such dastardly attack," Rijiju tweeted.

NPP chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma expressed shock over the tragedy. "The NPP is extremely shocked and saddened by the news of the death of its MLA Shri Tirong Aboh (Arunachal Pradesh) and his family. We condemn the brutal attack and urge @rajnathsingh and @PMOIndia to take action against those responsible for such attack," Sangma tweeted.

"Extremely shocked by the unfortunate killing of Khonsa MLA Tirong Aboh and several others, by insurgents. Strongly condemn this barbarous act. Action will be initiated to hunt down the perpetrators. My heartfelt condolence & may souls of those departed rest in peace," Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu tweeted. </s> At least seven persons, including Tirong Aboh, were killed in an attack by suspected Naga militants in district of on Tuesday, police said.

Police said that Aboh and his family members were travelling from Dibrugarh in to Khonsa, when their veicle was ambushed by suspected NSCN (IM) militants at Bogapani in district.

Aboh, a sitting (NPP) MLA from West constituency of the hill state, contested the recently held Assembly elections for a second term and received threats from the (NSCN-IM) militants over this.

The police confirmed that Aboh had died, but refused to divulge details of the other victims.

NPP expressed shock over the tragedy. "The NPP is extremely shocked and saddened by the news of the death of its MLA Shri (Arunachal Pradesh) and his family. We condemn the brutal attack and urge @rajnathsingh and @PMOIndia to take action against those responsible for such attack," Sangma tweeted.

"Extremely shocked by the unfortunate killing of MLA and several others, by insurgents. Strongly condemn this barbarous act. Action will be initiated to hunt down the perpetrators. My heartfelt condolence & may souls of those departed rest in peace," Chief Minister tweeted. </s> A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Arunachal Pradesh in India early Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said.

 The epicentre of the shallow earthquake was about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Along, and 180 kilometres southwest of the state capital Itanagar.

Arunachal Pradesh is the least densely populated state, but is still home to more than 1.2 million people, according to the state government’s website.

China’s official state news agency Xinhua said the earthquake was felt in Tibet, which neighbours the state.



 New Delhi and Beijing for decades have disputed control of Arunachal Pradesh — a dispute that remains unresolved. </s> The wreckage of the AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force was spotted on Tuesday in a heavily forested mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh, eight days after it went missing with 13 people on board after taking off from Assam's Jorhat.

The IAF said efforts are on to establish the status of occupants amid fears of that chances of any survivor in the one of worst accidents involving a military platform in recent years may be very bleak.

"The wreckage of the aircraft was spotted today 16 kms North of Lipo, North East of Tato at an approximate elevation of 12,000 feet by an IAF Mi-17 helicopter undertaking search in the expanded search zone," the IAF said in a statement.

"Efforts are now continuing to establish the status of occupants and establish survivors," it said.

An IAF official said after identifying the wreckage of the AN 32, a Cheetah helicopter and an ALH chopper reached the crash site but could not land due to high elevation and dense forest.

"However, nearest landing site has been identified and the rescue operation by helicopters will commence tomorrow early morning. Ground forces will continue to reach the crash site during the night," he said.

Another official said the IAF will send its special commandos 'Garud' to the crash site and carry out an exercise to look for possible survivors.

The Russian-origin AN-32 aircraft was going from Jorhat in Assam to Menchuka advanced landing ground near the border with China on June 3 when it lost contact with ground staff at 1 pm, within 33 minutes of taking off.

The IAF launched a massive operation after the aircraft went missing but the search was badly hit due to poor weather conditions.

The assets deployed for the operation included Sukhoi-30 aircraft in addition to a fleet of C-130J and AN-32 planes and Mi-17 and ALH helicopters. The ground forces included troops from the Army, Indo Tibetan Border Police and state police.

The Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft was also deployed earlier this week as it has electro-optical and infra-red sensors which could be helpful in the search operation.

ISRO's Cartosat and RISAT satellites were also used to take images of the area around Menchuka.

Deputy Commissioner of Siang district Rajeev Takuk said the wreckage of the aircraft was spotted near Pari hills which is close to Gatte village under Payum circle in Arunachal Pradesh.

"The wreckage was spotted near Pari hills, a few kilometres from Gatte village. However, the area is inaccessible as there is no road communication," Takuk told PTI.

The IAF has been regularly updating the families of all those who were on board the AN-32 about the rescue operation.

Officials said a total of nine aircraft of the Indian Air Force were involved in accidents this year.

An AN-32 aircraft had crashed near a village in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh in June 2009 in which 13 defence personnel were killed.

The aircraft had crashed over the Rinchi Hill above Heyo village, about 30 km from Mechuka advance landing ground.

In July 2016, an AN-32 aircraft went missing after taking off from Chennai for Port Blair with 29 people on board.

The aircraft could not be traced even after weeks of massive search operations covering 2,17,800 square nautical miles by multiple aircraft.

Months later, an IAF court of inquiry concluded that it was unlikely that the missing personnel on board the aircraft would have survived the accident. </s> In yet another conflict of interest between India and China, the later has raised objections to Indian Army's patrolling along the disputed border in Arunachal Pradesh. China has also accused Indian troops of transgressing into strategically sensitive Asaphila.

However, India has not only categorically rejected the allegations but also clarified that its troops will continue to carry out patrols along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), PTI reported.

The issue of 'transgression' was brought up by Chinese officials during a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) at Daimai post on the Chinese side in Kibithu March 15.

The 3,488-km LAC has 5 BPM points at Depsang in sub-sector north, Sappangur Gap in eastern Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim and Bumla and Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh. They come handy to commanders for resolving local issues and sort out differing perception of the border.

India was taken aback by China's allegations as the latter is infamous for infiltrating into Indian territory and airspace. Chinese military helicopters have violated the LAC multiple times in the last 30 days. The helicopters not only penetrated as far as 19km in places like Trig Heights and Depsang valley in Ladakh but were also been seen hovering over Indian Army posts.

"China's protest to our patrolling in Asaphila is surprising," PTI quoted a source as saying.

Which nation does Asaphila belong to?

The Indian Army has asserted that Asaphila in the upper Subansiri region of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to India and that they have been regularly patrolling the locations mentioned by the Chinese authorities.

However, this is not the first time that China has claimed a place in Arunachal Pradesh as theirs. China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of South Tibet and even renamed 6 places in their map.

In its defense, India has told China that the nation is aware of the alignment of the LAC.

Besides raising objections to Indian troops patrolling near the LAC, China had also said that India damaged its road building equipment in Arunachal Pradesh's Tuting in December 2017.

The Chinese men laying roads had reportedly crossed into Indian territory, about a kilometer inside the LAC in Tuting, in December 2017. However, on facing protests by the Indian Army, they stopped their activities and left the area. Two excavators were later returned to China without any damage, PTI reported.

India and China had ended its second-longest standoff on August 28, 2017. Since then, India has deployed more troops and intensified its patrolling in the mountainous terrains along the borders with China. </s> Cutting across party lines, political leaders in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday strongly opposed China for its charge of “transgression” against the Indian Army in the state’s strategically sensitive Asaphila region.

From the ruling BJP to the opposition Congress and the PPA, the leaders spoke out against China, stressing that the area belonged to India.

The Asaphila region is in Arunachal Pradesh and belongs to India, and such patrolling is a regular practice there, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Takam Sanjoy said.

“China’s protest at a border personnel meeting (BPM) on March 15 ... is shocking and surprising,” Sanjoy, a former MP, said, adding that the charge was baseless.

PTI reported on Sunday that the Chinese military had protested against the Indian Army’s “transgression” into the Asaphila area along the disputed border in Arunachal Pradesh, a charge that was roundly rejected by the Indian side.

Taking strong exception to repeated allegations made by China, state BJP vice-president Dominic Tadar said Beijing needed to shed its negative attitude.

State civil supplies minister Kamlung Mossang, who represents the sensitive Miao Assembly constituency of Changlang district, said no nation should interfere in India’s internal matters.

“What it (India) does and where, are up to India’s lawmakers, planners and executors and nobody else’s affair,” he said.

While Sanjoy took a dig at the BJP-led NDA government for its “weak diplomatic policy” which he said had led to the current situation, senior People’s Party Leader (PPA) Takam Pario slammed Bejing, saying such charges had no ground -- political or geographical.

“Beijing should not undermine democratically elected governments ruling India as well as Arunachal Pradesh. India is the largest democracy in the world and always toes democratic principles in its every action,” Pario said and advised China to rise above its narrow diplomatic attitude.

PPA president Kahfa Begin charged China with forcibly occupying large areas of India following the 1962 war.

Citing the example of Duya village where indigenous Nah and Tagin tribes of Arunachal Pradesh still live, he said China should return India’s land instead of claiming Indian territory as its own. </s> Eleven personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed when underground Maoists ambushed a Road Opening Party in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, reports said. The CRP jaways too opened fire and it is believed that two Maoists died in the exchange of fire.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Oak Ridge Observer. </s> An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 hit Nepal in early morning hours on Wednesday. No casualty or any property damage has been reported so far. According to the Indian Metrological Department, the earthquake occurred on 06:14:33 am at the Latitude 27.7 North and Longitude 85.1 E, at the depth of 10 Km. However, the National Emergency Operation Centre, Nepal, two more earthquakes were reported in brief span of 20 minutes, which were of magnitudes of 5.2 and 4.3. The epicentre of these earthquake was in Naubise in Dhading District. So far, three earthquakes have occurred in Nepal in last one hour at 6:14, 6:29 and 6:40 am respectively.

The early morning hours have seen tremors in this Himalyan region. A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Arunachal Pradesh early Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicentre of the shallow quake was about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Along, and 180 kilometres southwest of the state capital Itanagar. It struck at 1.45 am. Arunachal Pradesh is least densely populated state, but is still home to more than 1.2 million people, according to the state government’s website. China’s official state news agency Xinhua said the quake was felt in Tibet also.
Eleven people were killed in an ambush at 12th mile in Khonsa-Deomali road in Tirap District in Arunachal Pradesh.