Missing NPP candidate in Nagaland safe: Police

The police have said "missing" National People's Party (NPP) leader Tinujungshi Longkumer is "safe" and "sound".

Mokokchung district police chief Raguramarajan said the police team have "met the missing candidate".

"He (Longkumer) has clarified to the police team that he was not abducted. He is safe and sound," the police official said.

An NPP official on Wednesday said Longkumer, the party's candidate for Aonglenden Assembly seat by-election, had gone missing.

"Our candidate (Longkumer) who is contesting the by-election from Aonglenden Assembly constituency has been missing since Tuesday. His mobile phones are switched off and his family members are unaware of his whereabouts," state's NPP president Ato Yephtomi told IANS.

"The party have lodged a missing compliant with the police. We are hopeful that he returns home unharmed," the party official said.

Other candidates contesting the by-election include Sharingain Longkumer of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Toshipokba Longkumer of the Naga People's Front and Alemjongshi Longkumer of the Congress.

The by-election to the Aonglenden Assembly and the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland will be held on April 11.

The by-election was necessitated due to death of NDPP legislator Imtikumzuk in September 2018.

--IANS

rrk/pgh/pcj