The insurgent group NSCN (K-YA) has issued a ₹20 lakh extortion demand to Oil India Limited (OIL), intensifying militant activity in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district. The demand targets OIL’s operations in the Manabhum reserve forest, a vital area producing approximately 100 kilolitres of crude oil daily. The extortion note, signed by a self-styled Major Tha Aung of the insurgent group, was delivered through an intermediary to OIL’s office within the reserve forest. The note sets a deadline of December 10, 2024, for compliance, raising alarm over the safety of OIL employees and the company’s operations.
This demand is part of an escalating series of extortion activities in the region, where businessmen, contractors, traders, and villagers have also been targeted. The latest threat has drawn sharp attention to the region’s security challenges, prompting intensified counter-insurgency operations by security forces.
Changlang and the adjoining Namsai district, which house the Manabhum reserve forest, are critical areas for Arunachal Pradesh’s resource-based industries. However, persistent militant activity continues to pose significant hurdles to development and security in the region.
