11 killed in terrorist attack on MLA's cavalcade in Arunachal Pradesh, legislator and his son dead
Shams Ur Rehman Alavi
NewsBits.in
GUWAHATI/ITA NAGAR: A legislator and his son were among 11 persons killed in a terrorist attack in Arunachal Pradesh.
Tirong Aboh, a member of legislative assembly (MLA) was on way from Dibrugarh to Khonsa when suspected terror group NSCN (IM) militants ambushed his cavalcade.
The cars were stopped and the miliants opened fire, resulting in the death of Aboh, his son and security personnel amongst others.
Aboh, a sitting legislator of the National People's Party or NPP, from Khonsa West constituency, had received threats from NSCN IM i.e. National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Issak and Muivah, lately.
This incident occurred in Tirap district of AP, around 260 kms from Itanagar. Aboh's National People's Part is part of BJP led North East Democratic Alliance. Assam Rifles has launched a combing operation to nab the terrorists in the region.
The attack has come as a shock for NPP supporters. The party chief Conrad Sangma has sought PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh's intervention. Unlike other terror attacks that are covered nonstop by media, it was ignored.
Media's role in covering the terror attack in Arunachal Pradesh
Surprisingly, despite the magnitude of the terror attack, it failed to draw attention of the national media. It was not considered a 'big breaking news'. There were no major panel discussions--neither about the banned terror outfit, nor about the circumstances that led to the attack.
Most of the TV reports were sketchy and there was little information about the attackers and the past history of terrrorism-militancy in the region. Neither photographs of suspects were shown in these reports. Similarly, newspaper reports the next morning didn't give much prominence to the attack.
This is in stark contrast to incidents when even one or two casualties have spurred the TV channels to abandon other routine events and report continuously about the attack. However, this is not the first such incident when the media coverage has come under scanner.
