Timely intervention by Government of India has ensured release of five abducted Indian nationals, a Member of Myanmar Parliament and four other Myanmar nationals from Arakan Army in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, in the early hours of November 4, 2019.
On November 3, these five Indian nationals, along with a Member of Myanmar Parliament, two local transporters and two speedboat operators were abducted by Arakan Army on way from Paletwa in Chin State to Kyauktaw in Rakhine state in Myanmar. The abducted Indians were currently engaged in building the Kaladan road project in Myanmar.
Unfortunately, one of the Indian national died in custody of Arakan Army due to heart attack. According to information available, he was a chronic diabetes patient. The released Indian nationals, alongwith the dead body of the deceased, have reached Sittwe and will be leaving for Yangon today for onward journey to India.
During the last one decade, militant ethnic separatism has been on the rise among indigenous Buddhists in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The Arakan Army was set up in 2009.